It's Easy To See in the Dark
by UnicornsThatGamble
Summary: AU. After a tragedy hits the three brothers, they move to a remote home, hoping to start over. But it's not the perfect life they imagined, and the youngest is acting odd. Something is lurking in the house, and only one of them can see it. But when the lights go out they shouldn't worry: it's easy to see in the dark.
1. Chapter 1

**HAPPY HALLOWEEN BITCHEZ**

 **Before I say anything, I just want to thank the people still supporting Searching for a Saviour! It still gets mounds of views and at least a fav or follow a day so I just want to thank you guys for reading it!**

 **Now that it's Halloween, I can have fun and be as angsty as I want. Horror stories are so awesome to write (as you can probably tell from Black Doll Eyes). Time to unleash mwahahaha!**

 **Warning for language and OCC ness for (ahem)** _ **some**_ **characters and swears!**

 **"It's easy to see in the dark."**

"Luffy, get your suitcase." Sabo, eighteen years old, tells his seven-year-old adopted brother.

Luffy reaches up on his tippy-toes into the back of the company moving truck. His small hands barely latch on to the handle of his suitcase, and he slides it out with a tiny stumble.

Sabo allows himself a tiny chuckle- the first one in days- and closes the trunk with a slam. Up ahead his other brother, Ace, is scouting around their new house with a critical eye.

"This place is fine y'know. You don't need to examine it brick for brick." Sabo tells him. Ace sighs and turns around to the blonde, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, you don't have to tell me. It's just..."

"I get it Ace. But you don't have to worry about this one. The owner insists there wasn't any crap going on in there." Ace just nods and picks up his bag with silent acceptance. Luffy runs from Sabo's side to glomp Ace's legs in a tight embrace.

"Don't be sad Ace. I don't like when you're sad." The boy pouts, watery eyes peering upwards. Ace smiles tiredly and ruffles Luffy's hair, whom happily leans into the touch.

"I know little pup. I'll try to stay upbeat for you, alright?"

"Pup?! I'm not a dog!"

"Oops, my mistake. You just look so similar I can't help but mix you up." Ace teases, completely messing up Luffy's hair. It's impossible _not_ to touch the fluffy black strands. Luffy whines and jumps back.

"Meanie Ace!" The boy runs back to Sabo and grabs his arm. "I like Sabo better." Ace just snorts and grabs Sabo's other arm.

"Oi Oi..." Sabo starts.

"I like Sabo better than you too then. He doesn't give me sass on the daily."

"Fine! But I like Sabo more than you do!" Luffy huffs, a pout forming on his lips.

"Alright children that's enough-"

"Children?!" Ace splutters, making Sabo flinch to the side.

"...anyway, instead of blowing out my eardrums with your yelling, how about you get your damn stuff out of the van before I shove _you_ in it." Ace backs away with his hands in the air.

"Don't have to tell me twice. C'mon Lu, help me out." Ace smiles again, but he looks exhausted with the effort already. Luffy follows after his freckled brother eagerly, their spat easily forgotten.

Sabo lets the remaining cheeriness drop from his expression once they've gone. That was the longest either he or Ace have lasted in awhile. It's tough to hang on to the happiness anymore, even when the only thing keeping them on their feet is the firecracker Luffy.

Sabo finally takes a good look at their new living quarters. It's smallish, only one floor. The worn down and dirty yellow vinyl siding covers every square inch of the building, leaving much to be desired. Out front are two flower beds -which are unsurprisingly lacking any sort of shrubbery- that stretch out the length of the house. In the centre of the dead gardens is the sole door to the whole establishment, with an off-white paint job and a tiny window near the top.

The front yard made up of weeds and crab grass is much larger than the back, adding on a few extra metres in length and width. The area surrounding the house is barren, but a fair distance away on all sides one can see the wide expanse of forest. Neighbours are non-existent for a few kilometres, which is something Sabo is grateful for.

He looks up at the cloud logged sky, more so to just try and gain a sense of peace than to actually be observant. Sabo closes his eyes and imagines floating upwards until he can't go any further. There he would stay and watch the world, day in and day out, doing their mundane duties to help themselves get out of bed in the morning.

He opens his eyes and lets reality crash down on him yet again. His feet are still on the ground, crunching against the grey asphalt driveway. The sky is still miles above him, the mush of clouds a grey overcast.

Why has his world become so colourless?

 _"Who's this brat?"_

 _Little Ace steps forward and pulls a shy looking Sabo beside him._

 _"He's my new friend, and he needs somewhere to stay. So he's living here now old man." Ace states, radiating the fierceness and confidence of youth. Sabo expects the man to yell at him and kick him out of the house, just like his parents, but instead the old man just shrugs and pops another salty cracker in his mouth._

 _"Sure, but he doesn't get to escape my training. BWAHAHAHA!" He kneels down and extends a worn and calloused hand to the blonde. "Got a name kid?"_

 _"Sabo..." He says quietly, joining their hands in a soft yet firm handshake._

 _But this man won't have any of that. He grasps Sabo's hand so hard he swears the blood circulation has cut off, and shakes it with the gentleness of a bulldozer._

 _"Nice to meet you brat! I'm Garp! But you can call me grandpa, like my grandson over there."_

 _"Screw you Gramps! I never call you that!"_

 _"Ace! Learn some respect for your elders!"_

 _"No fucking way old man!"_

 _"Did you just swear brat?!"_

 _Sabo finally found home._

 _A baby is thrust into eleven-year-old Ace's arms._

 _"What the hell is this old man?!" Ace demands, struggling to hold on to the_ thing _wiggling around in his grip. Sabo watches the baby curiously from over Ace's shoulder._

 _"This is Luffy, your new brother! You're going to take care of him now because I'm busy." Garp deadpans, starting to walk out of the room._

 _"Hold it shit for gramps! Where do you think you're going?!" Ace yells. But Garp leaves the house, shutting the big mahogany door behind him. "Damn it. How the hell do you raise a kid?!" Ace thrusts the baby into Sabo's chest._

 _"I don't know...where do you think he came from?" Sabo asks, holding the baby out by its armpits. The toddler makes happy gurgling sounds as he waves his chubby baby arms at Sabo._

 _"Who the fuck knows. All I know is I ain't touchin' that thing." Ace says, grimacing. "Look! It_ squirms _!"_

 _"I think he's just happy." Sabo murmurs, looking over the baby curiously. He's never held one before. Carefully, he brings the baby closer and holds him against his hip. Luffy babbles happily and immediately sets to pulling on Sabo's golden locks._

 _"Look! He's a troublemaker already! We should go leave him in front of a church or something." Sabo shoots Ace a look._

 _"He's just playing Ace. Besides, it doesn't hurt." With his free hand he delicately untangles the unruly baby fingers from his wavy tresses. "You just want attention don't you?" Sabo asks the baby._

 _Luffy looks away from the source of his entertainment to Sabo's face. When those big innocent eyes connect with Sabo's ocean blue ones the blonde practically melts on the spot._

 _"Wow..." He breathes. Sabo barely notices Ace coming to stand beside him to see what all the hubbub is about. The freckled boy's breath catches in his throat._

 _"Wow is right." Ace says softly._

 _They gained another brother that day._

 _"Happy birthday Sabo!"_

 _Sabo grins and blows out all of the candles on his cake in one fell swoop. All fifteen flames instantly disappear, and a thin stream of smoke rises from each, turning the nearby air hazy._

 _"C'mon, hurry up and cut the cake gramps!" Ace urges, banging his fists against the table urgently. Beside him, Luffy swings his legs on the booster seat furiously and copies the gesture._

 _"Hurr Gandpa!" He babbles. Ace grins at Luffy while Sabo rolls his eyes. If the three-year-old starts picking up mannerisms from Ace, they're going start having some problems real soon._

 _"Calm yourselves brats! He just blew out the candles!" Garp exclaims gruffly, picking the waxy sticks off of the cake. "Ace! Go get some plates and silverware!"_

 _"Ace! Go get some plates and silverware~!" Ace imitates, retreating to the kitchen. He ducks just in time to avoid a hot candle to the head._

 _"What a brat." Garp mutters. Then he turns to Sabo with a mischievous look. Noticing the expression change, Sabo raises an eyebrow curiously._

 _"What is it gramps?" He asks. Garp quickly looks to make sure Ace can't hear and pulls out a wrapped box from under the table._

 _"Happy birthday Sabo. Now don't tell Ace I got you this, because he didn't get one for his birthday. Just tell him later when the day is done and he's in a happy mood." Curious and a little excited, Sabo rips off the paper and pries the cardboard box open._

 _"No way...is this?"_

 _"Yep. It's all yours."_

 _As if they might fall apart at any moment, Sabo gently lifts the car keys with his finger. He watches, mesmerized, as they dangle in the air, still not quite believing what he's seeing._

 _"I'm not old enough though..."_

 _"Never too soon to learn."_

 _"But gramps...how can you afford this?" Sabo asks, balling the gift in his hand._

 _"Now now Sabo, you shouldn't be concerned with things like that now. It's just a perk of the work I do." Garp says, shrugging it off. Sabo bites his lip. They haven't been in the best financial situation despite Garp's job as a policeman. They all try for Luffy but...this car seems like too much._

 _"Thanks Gramps. Means a lot." Sabo says stiffly. He doesn't mention how it would be great to receive more 'perks' from Garp's work._

 _"That's right brat. You deserve it." He ruffles Sabo's hair. Luffy giggles from the other side of the table._

 _"Shiny!" He cheers, adorably attempting to reach over the table. Sabo chuckles and makes a show of putting the keys back in the box._

 _"Not for you Lu. Nice try." Luffy pouts and crosses his arms. That's when Ace walks into the room, carrying forks and plates._

 _"These stupid things should be held in a different cupboard than the pans. They're a pain in the ass to take out." Ace grumbles. He sets them down at the table and sees Luffy's grumpy state. "Lu, what's got you so upset?" He asks the toddler._

 _"Sabo'z not lets me play eith shinies." Luffy mumbles into his chest, pouting harder._

 _"What shinies Luffy?"_

 _Sabo_ and _Ace got a gift that day._

 _"Make sure to fix them up real good boys. I'll be back later!" Garp gets into his beat down blue car and speeds away, kicking up a mountain of dust from the post-snow season roads._

 _"I really don't understand why we have to fix the baseboards every two milliseconds." Ace complains, drilling yet another screw into the wood. Sabo shrugs, and turns to make sure Luffy is still preoccupied with his puzzle, not walking over to eat sharp nails._

 _"I know what you mean. Our house is starting to look more metal than wooden." Sabo remarks, turning back to the task at hand._

 _"My friends say it's weird I do these kinds of chores. They say they never have to."_

 _"Really? Well Garp has always been a little different I guess."_

 _"Maybe it's a thing he has y'know? Finally gone old man crazy, thinking the entire house is falling apart."_

 _"But we've been doing this since we were kids."_

 _"Exactly my point. He's always been crazy."_

 _"He's been gone for awhile now Sabo."_

 _"I know...three weeks, two days, twelve hours. Longest time yet."_

 _Silence leaks on between them. Baby Luffy dozes on Ace's chest, oblivious to the world. Moonlight fills the bedroom, casting long shadows on the three boys laying on the bed._

 _"You know Luffy almost forgot about him today?" Ace says tonelessly, staring up at the roof._

 _"No." Sabo breathes out._

 _"Yeah. He asked me who those big boots at the door belonged to..."_

 _"That doesn't actually mean he forgot Ace-"_

 _"He doesn't see Luffy hardly at all y'know. He comes back when he's asleep and leaves before he's awake."_

 _"He's not doing it intentionally Ace-"_

 _"He's been gone for awhile now Sabo." Sabo lolls his head over to look at Ace, then grabs the raven's hand in his own._

 _"I know."_

 _"Ace, Sabo, get your asses back here this instant!"_

 _"No way old man!" Ace yells over his shoulder to Garp, then sticks out his tongue._

 _"Ace you're sixteen." Sabo says exasperatedly, running equally as fast beside him._

 _"Sixteen or not, I'll be damned if I let that old man lay another punch on me for his_ training _." Ace spits. All of a sudden, his eyes start to droop and he face plants on the pavement._

'Damn it Ace!' _Sabo curses. He quickly bends down to grab his sleeping brother, when a giant fist plants itself on his head._

 _"OUCH! DAMN IT!" Sabo falls to the ground beside Ace and cradles his swelling head. Garp stands tall above them, the sun casting ominous shadows down his face._

 _"You don't get to escape training! You both are going to become strong policemen!" Sabo flinches, bracing himself for another blow, but instead he hears a grunt, and the sound of feet shifting against the pebbly sidewalk._

 _Slowly, the blonde peeks over his arm, and then brings it down slowly when he sees Garp adjusting Ace on his back._

 _"Come on then. We can't do much when this brat has one of his narcoleptic attacks." Garp says, nodding his head in the direction of their house._

 _Sabo gets to his feet, and they make their way back in familiar, comfortable silence. Sabo jams his hands in his pockets._

 _"Gramps?"_

 _"Yes Sabo?"_

 _"...did we leave Luffy alone in the house?"_

 _"..."_

 _A personal and written apology were given to the fire station that day._

 _"Checkmate."_

 _Luffy makes a frustrated sound and throws his hands up in the air._

 _"Sabo! How are you so smart?!" He demands. Sabo ruffles the six-year-old's hair._

 _"It's not that I'm smart, but you're dumb." He responds, laughing when Luffy starts throwing a fit. Almost immediately the boy falls backwards on the floral couch, sighing loudly._

 _"I'm tired and hungry." He whines._

 _"You're always tired and hungry when you lose."_

 _"Meanie Sabo." The blonde laughs and puts the chess kit back in it's box._

 _"How about I fix you up something to eat? How does a ham sandwich sound?" Luffy gasps in joy and nods his head quickly. "Alright, just give me a couple minutes." Luffy groans again and sags against the couch, closing his eyes._

 _Sabo goes to their beat down fridge and opens the squeaky door. He doesn't feel a blast of cool air, which doesn't surprise him, but only a mild chill that would still melt ice cubes._

 _Behind him Ace enters, sporting wet hair, black athletic shorts and a baggy hoodie with wet splotches on the shoulders._

 _"Man, I feel sooo tired." Ace drawls, words morphing into a large yawn. He walks over to where Luffy is laying on the couch and unceremoniously falls on his stomach._

 _"Ace! Get off of me! You're heavy!" Luffy squeals, pushing on Ace's head to get him to move._

 _"Mm, I dunno. I'm pretty comfortable here." Ace says, completely ignoring Luffy's abuse on his head. "I think I'll go to sleep..."_

 _"Ace noooo! I need to eat my sandwich!" Luffy whines. Ace releases an exaggerated snore that rumbles on the boy's stomach, making Luffy laugh. "Stop Ace! Shishi, stop!"_

 _Sabo watches them with a fond smile. He puts the finishing touches on Luffy's sandwich, -extra meat is a_ must, _the prince himself once declared- just when he hears a car pull up in the driveway._

 _"Ace. What time did gramps say he was going to be back?" Sabo asks, a small frown forming on his lips. Ace looks up from Luffy's stomach. The boy has gone silent, looking at both of his brothers curiously._

 _"Not until around midnight, like always. Why?"_

 _Sabo leans from his spot in the kitchen to see out the tiny dirt logged window on the front door. He squints to see something, but he can only see blurs. They look like people...talking?_

 _"It looks like we have some visitors." Ace's eyebrows furrow in confusion and he rolls off of Luffy._

 _"Visitor?" Luffy pipes up, tilting his head._

 _"Have we_ ever _had visitors before?" Ace asks with a snort. Sabo shakes his head, pursing his lips in thought._

 _"Don't think so-oh they're coming to the door." The blurs are steadily coming into focus. Sabo goes to meet them halfway, when he sees that one of them is carrying a Louisville slugger._

 _A_ bloody _Louisville slugger._

 _Sabo freezes, eyes going wide._

 _"Sabo?! What's wrong with you?!" Ace demands, standing up. Sabo shakes his head slowly._

 _"I-I don't think they're-"_

 _There's a slam on the door. The three brothers freeze, careful not to breathe. Then another slam. Luffy jumps and clings onto Ace's sweater, staring at the door fearfully._

 _It's silent for awhile after that. Only small, muffled mumblings travel through the door. Ace and Sabo meet eyes and know that they have to get the hell out of there._

 _Slowly, the boys start to move and hopefully escape out the back door of the house. However, before they can take more than two steps, the door flies off the hinges and crashes to the floor with a massive bang._

 _Luffy releases a tiny scream as bits and pieces of wood join their last barrier on the cold unforgiving floor. Three burly men dressed completely in black, each holding weapons -a sledgehammer, a chainsaw, and the bat Sabo saw- step into the establishment._

 _Ace swears and pulls Luffy to his chest, bringing them into the corner of the room and as far away from the intruders as possible. Sabo backs up slowly until his back hits the fridge. He stares at the intruders fiercely, and digs his nails in his trembling palms._

 _The tallest of the three, and presumably the leader, looks around the room. He swerves his meaty neck around until his gaze locks on Sabo._

 _Sabo grits his teeth and his eyes unconsciously widen a smudge._

 _"I didn't expect there to be people here." The boss says suddenly, surprising the three boys. His voice sounds louder than it should be. "Is this Garp's house?" He asks Sabo._

 _The blonde bites his bottom lip. His mind feels blank, completely incapable of making a decision. What should he say? It has to be something! He can't let them all die! But what does this guy want to hear?!_

 _"I can't be here all day. Is it?" The man spits out. He takes a threatening step toward Ace and Luffy, who flinch back._

 _"No." Sabo grits, suddenly angry. "You've got the wrong place."_

 _The boss stares at Sabo through the two eye holes in his ski mask. He bounces his bat in his hands, weighing the statement._

 _"We didn't bring shit to deal with bodies. So you and your friends are fucking lucky I don't care that you're lying. Just fucking sit down like a good boy and stay out of the way while we do our stuff, got it blondie?" Sabo doesn't know what the hell they want to do, but he sinks to the ground nonetheless, nodding his head._

 _The boss motions with his fingers for his men to enter, and one by one, about six of them all of similar shape and size come inside. They mill around the house and go into different rooms._

 _"That warning goes for you too freckles. Don't lose your grip on that kid or you'll fucking regret it." The boss says, pointing to the boys in the corner. Luffy just shrinks further into Ace, while the elder glares at him weakly._

 _The silence turns thick in the household, slowly suffocating the brothers. Heavy boots walk across the hardwood floor, their large weapons dragging close behind. Occasionally something gets broken, and there is a lot of rummaging._ A lot.

 _"Boss, where would it be?" A subordinate asks, walking up to his superior. The boss ignores him for the time being, too preoccupied with tapping the baseboard drilled with years' worth of screws with his boot._

 _He glances to Sabo, who stares back at him unblinkingly. Then he smirks, and swings the bat over his shoulder._

 _"Everybody!" He shouts. "Tear apart everything that has a screw in it!" Without hesitation, he swings the massive bat down on the baseboard, shattering it to pieces. Luffy yelps in Ace's chest._

 _One by one, the thugs unsheathe their weapons and batter down the house. Dust and debris clog the air instantly, infecting every clean surface._

 _Sabo meets Ace's eyes from across the room, both confused and extremely terrified. He flinches and ducks away when one of the thugs sticks a crowbar under the bulletin board over his head._

 _The blonde watches with fear as he wrenches it out of the wall and flings it across the room. What Sabo isn't expecting to see is a small hole already behind it._

 _"Found some of it boss!" The thug calls. He reaches into the hole and pulls out a small bag filled with white powder. Sabo's jaw drops in utter horror, and he can barely keep his shock contained._

'Is that...drugs?'

 _"What the fuck..." Ace whispers._

 _They both watch as gradually more and more packets of cocaine, ecstasy, you name it come out of the house they were raised in. Years worth are pulled out of the walls, broken light fixtures they were all too lazy to fix, and to their horror, under Luffy's dresser._

 _"Oh my god..." Sabo breathes, watching them walk out of Luffy's room with bags and_ bags _of heroin._

 _They pull out the baseboards, all of them. The ones he and Ace had spent entire weekends securing, all ripped away to reveal rows of small packages of more fucking drugs._

 _The boss clicks his tongue and waves his bat at Sabo._

 _"This would have been so much easier if you'd have just fucking told us where the stuff was." He snorts, then notices the look on Sabo's face. "Oh I see..." He looks over at Ace too, then laughs. "You had no idea! What the fuck? Are you all blind or something? That old man really pulled the wall over your eyes."_

 _"Shut up...no he didn't..." Ace grits, eyes shadowed. "He's a fucking policeman, he stops shit like this. He doesn't_ do _it."_

 _"Why the hell do you think we're here then?" The boss asks sarcastically. "It's actually hilarious how you have no idea."_

 _Ace goes silent, glaring at the giant man a few feet away. In his arms, Luffy shifts, and his tear soaked cheeks leave wet streaks on his brother's chest._

 _"Ace? What's happening?" He whispers, barely keeping back another sobbing fit._

 _"He doesn't know anything kid, don't bother asking him." The boss says, throwing yet another bag of drugs -this one labeled 'speed'- into an accumulated bin pile. Sabo feels sick._

 _Ace tucks Luffy away, glaring even harder._

 _"Don't talk to him." He says coldly. The boss frowns, then makes a gesture to one of his subordinates. The minion grabs the roots of Ace's hair and slams him hard against the wall beside him. Luffy screams and cries out for Ace, who slumps against the wall and struggles to keep his eyes open._

 _"Ace!" Sabo calls out. He starts to get up, but slowly moves back down when the boss shoots him a glare._

 _"What I tell you both? Behave and stay out of the damn way so we all get out of this happy, got it?" His answer is silence, but he seems content with the response._

 _In the other room, a chainsaw starts._

 _The sun has long since set, bathing the whole house in soft darkness. The moonlight shines through the hollow doorway, making the dust particles look like sparks dancing through the air._

 _The three figures slumped on the ground have not yet made an attempt to move. They're emotionless, brains bashed and shattered. The cold wind that blows through the now barren and wrecked house has no effect on their hollowed bodies._

 _Everything is gone now. Walls and furniture lay strewn across what can barely be considered a floor. Any valuables were taken without hesitation, and Sabo is sure if he opens up the cabinets nothing will be left there either._

 _His dull lidded eyes roam around their empty surroundings. Even the pink insolation got torn away to take the valuable contents underneath. The house feels cleansed for some odd reason._

 _Sabo doesn't feel relieved. Or anything. Nothing._

 _Sabo slowly flicks his eyes over to Ace and Luffy, still in the corner. Usually the youngest would be all over the pink fluff, but now he's just staring at it blankly, eyes occasionally drooping from exhaustion._

 _Ace has his eyes closed, and his breathing is slow. It may look like he's asleep, but Sabo knows that neither of them will be able to sleep for_ several _nights._

 _Headlights and tires crunching on the gravel driveway bring Sabo out of his cloudy state. None of them move or make a sound as the car door slams and footsteps make their way to the entrance. The blonde looks absently to the clock. 12:07._

 _Sabo closes his eyes and hears the footsteps halt in the doorway. There is a small sigh, and Sabo opens his eyes again to their gramps, home from work._

 _From_ fucking _work._

 _He's angry, but the rage falls into a cold pit in his stomach. He watches Garp scan the room with an unreadable expression and hands on his hips._

 _Ace hasn't said anything, nor moved. Luffy has fallen asleep._

 _Eventually Garp sighs. It's profound and annoyed._

 _"Damn it, they came here didn't they?" He says a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Looks like they made a real mess of the place. HA HA!"_

 _Whistling a little tune, he walks past all of them into the back of the house. Sabo can hear him shuffling around and the zip of a bag._

 _After a couple of minutes, Garp re-appears with a large duffle bag slung over his shoulder._

 _"Geez this thing is heavy..." He mutters to himself. Then he spots the sandwich lying harmlessly on the table, completely untouched. He makes a humming sound and swipes it off the plate, chewing on the snack loudly. "Pretty good!"_

 _When he finishes, he licks his fingers then walks to the doorway._

 _"Wait."_

 _Garp stops in place at the weak voice. He looks to the corner, where Ace is trying to lean himself up higher on the wall._

 _"What is it Ace-boy?" Garp asks casually, picking the bread from his teeth. Ace swallows thickly and then fixes his fiery gaze on his grandfather. Sabo can see him shaking from across the room._

 _"When you picked me up...from my parents...did you care?" Ace asks, voice quiet and strained. Garp stares at him for a moment. A look of contemplation goes over his face, something Sabo has never seen in the normally air-headed old man. Garp smiles a little, and pulls the bag strap further on his shoulder._

 _"Of course I cared about you brat! Well, maybe a little less now, but you get the idea." He shrugs nonchalantly. "You brats can keep the house if you want, I don't need it anymore."_

 _"What about us?! Do you need us anymore old man?!" Ace demands, voice desperate and breaking. There's a sting in Sabo's chest and his heart 'aches'. Garp looks utterly confused, and Sabo thinks for a moment he has returned to normal._

 _"When did I ever need you?" He asks, honestly baffled, looking at both Sabo and Ace. He turns back outside and walks out, but not without kicking a picture of all of them aside, cracking the glass._

 _"Maybe you should have done a better job on those baseboards." The words hang in the air as they hear the car start up again and drive away, forever._

 _Sabo stares outside, mind feeling more muddled than ever before. He can't summon any words that can possible console Ace, normally strong and iron-willed, who is quietly sobbing and curling in on himself. Luffy is still sleeping beside him, completely unaware._

 _Sabo hates himself for being jealous._

 _But he can't help it._

They had to endure a year of foster care after that. It was tough to keep the three of them together, but as soon as Ace and Sabo turned eighteen they grabbed Luffy and ran for the hills.

Turns out (unsurprisingly) Garp was in the business for years. He picked it up somewhere along his police job and never stopped once he realized the amount of money flowing in.

It was hard to convince Garp's fellow angry policemen that they had nothing to do with his business, especially because they lived with him for so long. Sabo will never forget the frustrated looks he got as he left the station that day. It seems they weren't the only ones feeling completely betrayed.

Garp has been missing this entire time. No one knows where he went or where he's going, it's like he disappeared off the face of the earth.

Sabo exhales loudly and brings his head back down. Fuck he misses Garp. It's a sin and he knows it, but his father figure got ripped away too fast and too soon for him to take.

For them all to take.

"Here."

Sabo flinches and whips around. Standing there is the previous owner of the house, Nami. A dull frown sits on her plush lips and she's dangling the house keys in front of Sabo's face.

"Thanks." He says, taking the keys. He had honestly forgotten she was there.

Nami doesn't acknowledge his words and blinks, boredom written all over her expression.

"So, um, is there anything else I should know about the house?" Sabo asks tentatively, feeling like he should say something instead of enduring awkward silence. She stares at him for a moment, hand on her hip, then pops a piece of gum in her mouth.

"The lights go out all the time." She says. "But don't worry, it's easy to see in the dark."

"Uh, okay. Thanks." Sabo says, just a little confused. Without another word, she walks away down the street.

 _'Is she planning to walk all the way back home herself?'_ He wonders, but before he can dwell on it, Luffy bumps into Sabo's legs.

"Can we go in now?" Luffy asks, face completely hidden behind the large box he's carrying. Sabo takes the box out of Luffy's hands and twirls the keys around on his gloved finger.

"Yes, now go get your suitcase." Luffy gasps excitedly and grasps his luggage like his life depends on it. "You coming Ace?" A grunt comes from the back of the van.

"You guys go on ahead; my stuff is buried under a mountain over here." Just on cue, a chair falls from the top of the pile onto Ace's head. The raven growls and grabs the chair violently.

"C'mon Lu." Sabo ushers the littlest away from the potential threat of thrown furniture.

"I'm so excited!" Luffy exclaims, grinning widely and bouncing as Sabo unlocks the door.

The blonde smiles softly and pushes the door open. Immediately the scent of must assaults his nostrils and cool air brushes his face.

Luffy is the first to enter with a whoop of excitement and scurries into the single story house, dragging his suitcase sideways along the hardwood floor.

"There's wheels on it for a reason Lu." Sabo mumbles, half lost in thought as he looks at his surroundings.

The house actually looks pretty cozy despite its haggard outside appearance. Sabo approaches a small circular table, apparently left behind by the owner, and swipes a finger across its surface. A light film of dust coats the finger of his glove and he wipes it off on his blue jeans.

 _'Geez, the last owners could have at least cleaned up.'_ He silently remarks.

Sabo hears a loud clacking sound and turns around.

"Luffy?" He asks. The small raven is standing in the middle of the living room, stiff as a corpse, staring in the direction of the bright hallway. His suitcase has fallen over, and now it lay abandoned on the floor.

Luffy doesn't show any indication he heard the blonde. Instead he picks up his suitcase and speed walks to his brother, where he proceeds to hug the elder's legs.

"Lu?" Sabo asks again, worried. Instead of being excited like he was mere seconds ago, Luffy's mood has turned sullen. Usually the kid can't go long without blurting something out (especially since they got the house) but now Sabo can hardly hear him breathe.

Luffy mumbles something into his brother. Sabo does a questioning hum, not understanding. The littlest pulls away slowly, not meeting Sabo's eyes but still gripping his jacket in pale fists.

"Are we sleeping in the same room?" Luffy asks quietly, shuffling his foot.

"No Lu, Ace and I have to get up early for work so we can't go bustling in and out of your room while you should be sleeping. " Sabo says. When he sees the deepening frown on his brother's face, he feels himself becoming concerned. "But you'll get your own room! You've always wanted that haven't you?"

Luffy looks off to the far right, towards the hallway, and nods shyly. Sabo's eyes flicker in that direction for a moment, but seeing nothing of interest he directs his attention back on the raven.

"Is there something wrong Luffy?" The blonde kneels down to Luffy's height. The youngest sucks in his lips and shakes his head furiously, his fluffy black locks tossing side to side.

Sabo's just about to speak when the door bangs open loudly and Ace stumbles inside. With two large boxes and an enlarged bag strung around his shoulders he wobbles over to the stone fireplace and drops the boxes next to it.

"Geez that's heavy. Maybe we shouldn't have packed so much..." Ace remarks, wiping the sweat off his freckled forehead.

Sabo stands up and shoots Ace an unimpressed look. "Maybe you shouldn't have carried so much on the first trip."

"Meh. Saves more time and effort for the next trip." He shrugs nonchalantly and Sabo can almost see Ace being carefree like he once was.

Almost.

"While we're on the topic of carrying things," Ace continues. "I need you to help me with the couch. It's blocking everything else in the trunk."

Sabo sighs. "Alright let's go." Both brothers walk out the door, but Sabo stops at the doorway and looks over his shoulder to Luffy. "Can you wait here for a sec Lu?"

Luffy looks sickly in the yellow light. He nods timidly and smiles, but it looks ill-fitted on his smooth face.

"We'll be right back." Sabo steps outside and notices that it's gotten darker. The house and grass have gained a dark blue hue and Sabo can see a blurred piece of light in the sky where the clouds have blocked the moon.

"Are you gonna stand there all day or are you going to get your ass over here?" Sabo grunts in acknowledgement and hurries to help his brother.

Together they ease the green velvety piece of furniture off the trunk without much difficulty. They work silently, carrying the couch back in the direction of the house.

When they are alone they're like this. They don't force themselves into a pointless conversation neither of them want to have. The silence is what they've learned to like. Talking robs them of energy they _should_ be spending on Luffy, so he doesn't face the same heart wrenching abandonment they've been through.

"Hey, Ace?" Sabo prompts, breaking their unspoken agreement. Ace blinks at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Yeah Sabo?"

Sabo adjusts his grip to get a better hold on the couch. He's walking backwards, Ace is guiding them from the front.

"I don't think Luffy's happy about the house."

"How could he not? We've been tossed around in foster care for a year. Anything is better than that." Ace retorts. "He's probably just a little uncomfortable with more change. Don't fuss about it."

That's Sabo's cue to shut up. Silence is once again brought to the surface as they cross into the threshold.

They walk to the centre of the living room and place the couch delicately on the floor. A few feet away Luffy stands, shoulders hunched and hands stuffed in his pockets.

"There we go!" Ace exclaims cheerily. He turns to Luffy with a big smirk. "What do you think Lu? Is this a good spot?"

Sabo turns to their baby brother. He watches as Luffy uncharacteristically

stares at the couch with an uneasy expression.

"Well," Ace huffs, then grins wildly. "I guess we'll just have to find out."

Sabo watches in bewilderment as Ace charges at Luffy with a battle cry and slings him over his broad shoulder. Luffy squeals in surprise then giggles madly as Ace marches him to the couch.

"Ace! Sto-ahhhhh!" Luffy breaks off into another squeal when Ace drops him on the couch.

"Is it comfortable? Maybe I should try it out too!" Luffy screams out in protest, but Ace ignores him and glomps him in a panda hug. The couch creaks under the new weight and Luffy whines as he sinks into the impossible depths of the cushions.

Sabo watches their interaction from afar, feeling strangely distant. Suddenly, a pillow hits his face and slides slowly down his chest until it falls to the ground with a dull thud.

He blinks down to Luffy and Ace, who are now staring at him. The silence drags on for a few seconds before Ace speaks up.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to get your ass over here?" Sabo blinks at their expectant faces, then joins them on the couch with a body slam.

Luffy groans underneath them, hot and suffocating under the dog pile. Sensing his suffering, the elders ease off of Luffy, whom immediately gulps for air.

"Freedom!" He yells, pumping his thin arms out in victory. Ace snickers and immediately pulls Luffy into a headlock between himself and Sabo.

"Not yet piglet! I've still got you!" He proceeds to give Luffy a ferocious noogie. Luffy's hand fly up to try and stop the assault to his midnight hair, but to no avail.

"Piglet?! I'm not a piglet! Sabooo! Help me!" Luffy whines. Ace laughs and scrubs the youngest's head even harder.

Sabo laughs, a genuine one, and feels his spirits lift.

 _This_ , is what they live for.

 _ **Line here**_

No one noticed it, no one but Luffy. If his brothers wanted to live with it he could manage, they've tried so hard for him he wants to do the same.

So when it crept into the room to watch, Luffy ignored it, forcing himself to instead try to escape Ace's clutches.

No one noticed Luffy's eyes flickering to the right, nor did the boy tell.

 _ **Line here**_

Luffy places the final piece in the ten-piece puzzle for the umpteenth time that day. The picture is of a hawk, it's wings spread wide and beak open in a silent screech.

He stares at the picture for a moment, no longer feeling the satisfaction of completing it, and promptly takes it apart. There's nobody to show his work, so there's no point in keeping it.

Ace and Sabo have long gone to work, leaving Luffy alone. It's been happening for the past few days, with nobody to watch him. His brothers said they would try and get Luffy into school as soon as they could, but it was going to take time.

Luffy presses the cardboard lid on the puzzle box shut and then slides it away on the smooth coffee table. He lays down on the couch with a sigh and closes his eyes.

Not a single light is on in the house, but the light from the sun outside allows Luffy to see his surroundings. Every time his brothers come home, they complain about how horrible the lighting is, and Luffy just stands idly by.

What they don't know is that it's Luffy who turns the lights off most of the time.

Most of the time.

It's lonely without his brothers, he won't lie, but he understands they can't be there for him _all_ the time. So he puts up with it, sends them off with a gigantic smile and a wave and goes through his day the best he can.

Something clacks from the kitchen. Luffy stiffens, and tries not to breathe. His eyes snap open and dart around the living room in a frenzy.

Then something bangs against the hallway around the corner. Luffy begins to shake and he stares at the hallway with eyes blown wide.

He watches the dark hallway for who knows long, but doesn't hear anything any longer. Luffy swallows thickly and slowly rises from the couch.

His stiff ankles crack against the floor as he shuffles backwards to the light switch next the the front door. He takes in a deep breath then flicks the switch with his finger.

When the lights turn on, he doesn't know what he sees.

It's _tall_ , almost bending to fit under the roof. There's no face. It looks like a person but not.

It's standing right where he is staring.

Luffy doesn't like it.

It scares him.

When it moves that's when Luffy panics. It runs jerkily and unsteadily, like it is unaccustomed with its limbs.

Luffy scrabbles at the light switch, but the lights _won't turn off!_ He sends one more terrified look at the 'it' and then it's _soclosetogettinghim-_

The lights turn off again.

It's no longer coming at him, no longer there in fact.

Luffy's breath turns calmer, but he doesn't move from where he stands. His eyes are carefully locked below the arch separating the living room from the hallway.

He knows it's there.

From the day he stepped into the house, Luffy knew that thing was there. _Always_ around him, latching onto shadows and standing right behind him with its rancid breath on his neck while he tries to talk to Sabo.

He may not be able to see it, but he keeps staring.

Nothing moves.

 _ **Line here**_

"Not now Lu, ask Ace."

Luffy pouts and crosses his baggy red sweater arms. The book titled _The Pirate King_ hangs loosely from his finger tips.

"I just did! He said to ask you!" He protests. Sabo sighs and turns around from his stack of papers on the kitchen table. He removes his reading glasses and rubs his aching nose.

"Of course he did." Sabo mutters under his breath. "Can we go without story time for tonight Luffy? I promise I'll read something for you tomorrow."

Luffy frowns into his chest. Then he nods wordlessly and spins around to the living room without another word.

Sabo turns back to his work and puts on his reading glasses. He feels a little guilty for sending the boy away, but he's just busy today. He can always read to Luffy tomorrow.

On the wall beside him the clock reads 8:30pm. Sabo looks at the object annoyedly. His co-worker was supposed to come by and drop off some prints an hour ago.

In the background a children's show plays on the small television in the living room. Sabo can hear the beginnings of SpongeBob Square Pants echo through the house.

Sabo is about to yell to Luffy to turn it down when there's a knock at the door. Not even a millisecond later, a loud crash and a spluttered cry split the air.

The blonde stands up abruptly and rushes through the hallway to the living room. Just as he rounds the corner, there is another knock and another whimper.

In the far edge of the room Luffy is huddled, shaking. His hands are clenched into his black hair and his face is shoved in between his knees. Nearby, a wooden chair has been knocked over and a piece of the leg is split along the middle.

"Ace! Get over here!" Sabo yells into the house. He then runs over to Luffy and kneels down in front of the quivering child. "Lu? Lu! It's just my friend! Nothing is going to happen to you!" Luffy just shakes his head and buries himself deeper in his inner shell.

There's the sound of heavy thumping on the wooden floor and Ace enters the room with hair in a frenzy and eyes wide.

"Wha-Luffy? What's wrong?" Ace asks worriedly, stepping towards them. There is another rap at the door and Luffy lets out a pained moan. Realization dawns on Ace, and he runs to the door while swearing under his breath.

"It's okay Lu, you're fine. We're here." Sabo whispers soothingly. He pulls the little one into his arms and holds him in a protective embrace. Luffy gulps down a round of hot tears and buries his face in Sabo's loose t-shirt.

Ace glances back at his brothers on the floor then grabs the chipped knob in a death grip. He yanks the door open so fast that he startles the person standing behind it.

"Oh! Um," the man starts, a bit taken aback. The numerous scrolls bundled in his arms knock against each other. "Is Sabo here? I'm Hack, his co-worker."

Ace blinks at him, eyes leering and lips pulled into the beginnings of a grimace.

"These scrolls are for him," the white-haired man continues, unnerved by the hostility in the air. "I was supposed to be here an hour ago but first my car wouldn't work, then there was this squirrel in my trunk-"

"Yeah he lives here." Ace snaps. He snatches the scrolls out of Hack's arms and grins like a shark. "Goodbye."

Before Hack can utter another syllable, the door slams in his face with an abrupt bang. Luffy flinches further into Sabo, still shaking like mad.

Ace looks back at Luffy apologetically, then strides toward him, throwing the scrolls aside on the couch.

"Lu?" He says tentatively, kneeling next to the boy. When there is no response, Ace and Sabo exchange worried glances. "He's gone now. He's not coming back."

Again, no response. Ace sighs in exhaustion and rests his creased forehead against the side of Luffy's head. The black fluff of his hair tickles against Ace's nose and the familiar scent soothes his nerves. But only a little.

"I'm sorry you had to go through something like that Lu, and at your age...please say something, okay? We're worried about you, and you don't want Sabo to be worried, do you?" Ace asks with a light chuckle, pulling away.

Slowly, Luffy raises his pale face off of Sabo's chest. He shakes his head slowly, eyes sad and watery.

"That's right, you don't want us to be upset do you? Besides, Ace fought them off with just his two fists." Sabo says, winking to his freckled brother.

Luffy gasps in amazement. "Really?!"

"Heh, that's right!" Ace stands up and puffs his chest out. Stars twinkle around his head as he smirks arrogantly. "I can fight off anything or anyone! So you don't have to be scared Luffy, because I'll protect you!"

Sabo rolls his eyes at the assertion, but he can't suppress the fond smile pulling at his lips. Luffy's eyes glow in admiration and he jumps up to glomp Ace in a big hug.

"Ace is so strong! Can you really beat anything?!"

"Of course I can! Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?" Ace asks, patting Luffy's head. Luffy shakes his head furiously but breaks into a massive yawn.

"Looks like it's somebody's bed time." Sabo remarks, picking Luffy up and resting him on his hip. His reading glasses slide down far on his nose, almost falling off.

"'s not." Luffy mumbles tiredly. He reaches forward and sluggishly plunks Sabo's glasses back on his brother's blonde locks.

Sabo chuckles and flicks Luffy softly on the forehead.

"I beg to differ."

Luffy doesn't protest again as Sabo carries him to his room. Just a few paces away from the bedroom in the dim hallway, Luffy shifts to look up at Sabo.

"Ace can beat anything right?" He asks softly, voice laced with tiredness.

"Not just Ace, me too." He responds, opening Luffy's wooden door. The hinges creak as it slowly opens, revealing nothing but blinding darkness.

"Then can you beat the monster too?"

In that moment, Sabo swears he feels the hot rush of breath against his neck. Something makes his heart rate pick up and blood rush on adrenaline.

"Monster?" Sabo asks, legs rooted to the spot. The floorboards creak behind him, and the normally still air feels strangely teeming with energy. He senses a looming presence, like something is sizing him up.

Luffy nods, looking down all of a sudden. He swings his thin legs back and forth in the air.

"Well..." The presence is overwhelming now, radiating hostility and challenging his right of mind. There's a strange urge that makes him want to grab Luffy and run out of the house. But instead he pushes down the uneasy feeling and flicks on Luffy's light switch. "Of course I could beat it! But we've been reading you too many books, it's got you all paranoid. Monsters don't exist."

Luffy's lips tighten into a thin line and he doesn't say another word as Sabo helps him get dressed in his cotton pajamas, and puts him to bed.

"Goodnight Lu." Sabo whispers. Luffy just burrows himself further into his heavy blue comforter and grunts. The blonde flicks off the light switch then gentle closes the squeaky door.

Sabo sighs and brings a hand through his messed hair, forcing his glasses further back on his head. He returns to the living room to see Ace kneeling next to the chair, examining the damaged leg.

"Is the chair really messed up that bad?" Sabo asks, coming to stand next to him. Ace shakes his head, his fingers stroking the split and rough wood on the leg.

"It's nothing big, just a split. Luffy must've hit it over when he heard the knock." Ace stands up slowly. His eyes are looking down with a somber gaze.

"What's up Ace?" Sabo asks with a frown.

"It's just...I've never seen Luffy freak out like that for awhile. It kinda shook me up you know?" Ace says with a crooked shrug.

"Yeah, I do." Sabo pats Ace on the back affectionately. "You should go to sleep too. It's been an exhausting day for all of us."

Ace swats Sabo's hand away and stretches his toned arms over his head. Despite his liveliness earlier, Sabo can practically see the tiredness dripping off of Ace's figure.

"Okay, okay I'll go. Goodnight." The raven grunts. Sabo watches him as he retreats into the hallway towards their bedroom.

 _'Ugh, now I have to clean up myself.'_ Sabo huffs, turning off the television. He turns back to the chair, only to see it upright again, and against the far wall.

The blonde stares at the chair, more than slightly confused. Silence fills the house as Sabo continues to stare at it. He doesn't know what he's expecting to happen, but he feels like if he looks away, he'll miss something.

Beside the chair is a stack of children's books, all closed and unread. Sabo recognizes them as Luffy's books, but they usually sit in the basket in the youngest's room.

He approaches the stack and clicks his tongue. Luffy should put his things back where they belong.

He kneels down and takes the first book, prepared to put them away in their proper spot. The bold red cover immediately catches his eye- _The Pirate King._

Sabo frowns a little and tucks it under his armpit. Then he grabs the next book- _Noland the Liar._

' _This is the book I read to Luffy yesterday.'_ Wait. He didn't read this, he had sent Luffy off to Ace because he was on the phone.

Sabo stuffs _Noland_ with _The Pirate King_ and grabs the next two books with sudden urgency.

 _The islands of the North, South, East and West_ and _Skypea._ Two days ago, he and Ace were busy in the garage. Luffy approached them but they just sent him to bed with some milk. Three days ago, Ace was out with his friends and Sabo was finishing up the paperwork for his latest project. He remembers Luffy gripping the shiny book and watching him longingly from across the room, but not coming over.

Sabo falls back on his butt and stares at the two books resting innocently in his hands.

 _"That was a great story Sabo!" Luffy cheers from their ratty single bed. A set of thin blankets and flat pillows rest on the cold ground beside it, serving as a sleeping quarters for the two eldest. Their foster house rattles against the pouring rain outside, and in the distance one can hear the distant rumbling of thunder. Ace is knocked out on one of the makeshift beds, snoring softly._

 _"But of course little prince, I always give thee thy best stories in thy kingdom." Sabo says, putting on a fake British accent._

 _Luffy giggles in joy and brings the blanket up to shield his growing smile. The blonde chuckles and gently ruffles his little brother's hair._

 _"Can you tell me another story tomorrow Sabo?" Luffy asks drowsily, his eyes already falling closed._

 _"Of course Lu, that's the one thing I can always give you. Consider it our treasure, okay? That's something we'll have always, no matter what."_

 _"Promise?"_

 _"Promise."'_

The books drop from his hands but he doesn't move. He doesn't breathe.

Their treasure glints in the moonlight, but its presence is dull to Sabo.

 **Tah Dah! Finally, a story. There will be a few chapters to this one that I will try my hardest to write in a short period of time! (I have been so busy it ain't even fair).**

 **I even had to put a pause on the other grand story I am working on (and are immensely excited for) to write this story.**

 **But I hope you like where this story goes, and HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN!**

 _Next time; Flickering lights and yellow eyes_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

 **When ur mom embarrasses you in front of a hot foreign hockey team and ur like someone beat me with a brick.**

 **DISCLAIMER (forgot one last time)**

"Of course I could beat it! But we've been reading you too many books, it's got you all paranoid. Monsters don't exist."

Luffy's lips tighten into a thin line. He looks meekly over Sabo's shoulder at the monster that does not exist. It reaches up two heads taller than Sabo and the slight hunch in its shoulders is the only thing keeping it from hitting the ceiling.

It's not real. Sabo says it isn't, so it's not.

 _'But he can't see it.'_

Luffy doesn't say anything but gulps quietly. Oblivious to the dizzying menace behind him, Sabo places Luffy on the ground and walks over to his dresser to select the pajamas for his little brother.

The raven flicks his wide eyes to the thing as it ducks into the doorway. The movement startles Luffy and he starts to shake. Quickly, he skitters over to Sabo and practically glues himself to his side.

"Which one do you want Lu?" Sabo asks, showing him a red flannel shirt and a checkered cotton one.

But the boy's mind, and eyes, are elsewhere. The thing lumbers toward them and Luffy shrinks back when it stops beside Sabo. It seems to unfold itself, straightening out and standing taller than ever before.

"Lu?" Sabo asks again, confused. Luffy spares a quick glance at the shirts.

"Red." He says curtly. The thing still doesn't move, but Luffy's heart is pounding in terrified anticipation.

Sabo puts the other shirt away and takes out the matching set of black pajama bottoms. He lifts his arms above his head and Luffy slowly copies.

"Up like a roller coaster!" Sabo says. That's always what his brother's do when he's changing. It usually makes him laugh, and then run around the room like he's _actually_ in a roller coaster. Ace and/or Sabo would chase him around the room, and the whole process would be made a thousand times more difficult, but none of them would care.

Luffy remains stationary as Sabo pulls his shirt over his head and slips the other on. The youngest's hair fluffs up and frizzes as the head hole pulls around his neck.

When Sabo isn't looking at him, Luffy stares at the thing. Strangely, it has started to shift back and forth in a pattern. The movement makes it look somewhat anxious or excited, like it can't stand still.

Luffy doesn't like it at all, and while Sabo finishes dressing him, all he can think about is turning the lights off.

This thing is like a shadow, black and long. It likes shadows, it likes light.

It doesn't bother him in the dark.

Finally, Sabo tucks Luffy into bed and ruffles his unruly hair. The raven is silently willing the blonde out.

"Goodnight Lu." Sabo whispers. Luffy just pulls the comforter higher over his head, letting out a quick and impatient grunt. Slowly, Sabo stands up, making the bed creak loudly in relief.

All of a sudden, the thing stretches out it's massive limbs -that Luffy can only guess are arms- and charges toward his brother's back. Luffy's mouth drops open in horror and he almost screams. The thing is right upon the blonde. He launches himself downward and is inches from cracking Sabo's head-

But the blonde flicks the light off. The thing immediately disappears and Luffy can't even describe the immense relief he's feeling. The residual panic leaves him shaking and he grasps the blankets tighter like a shield.

Without a second glance, Sabo gently closes the squeaky door, plunging the room in immediate darkness.

Luffy can feel the silence. The close call from a few moments ago has left him super aware and awake. Tiredness has long since escaped his body, and now he can't bring himself to trust the quiet surrounding him.

Another image of the creature flashes before his eyes and he whimpers. It almost hurt Sabo! What if it comes back and gets Luffy? He can't see it in the dark, but that fact scares him. It can be _anywhere_. Watching, waiting.

Right now, it can be right above Luffy, winding up to attack and slice him in half-

Another whimper of despair escapes his lips and he curls in a tight ball. He wills sleep on for what feels like the longest time, but his ears won't stop picking up the faintest sounds that make him shiver in fear.

Eventually, the exhaustion of the day finally wears down at his addled mind. He slowly feels himself slipping away. But moments after closing his eyes, Luffy hears his door creaking open.

His groggy and cloudy eyes can't see much in the heavy darkness, but he can hear the creaking of footsteps against his wooden floor coming closer and closer. Eventually, they stop beside his bed and Luffy turns his head to look at them.

"Ace?" He whispers hoarsely. Sure enough, Luffy recognizes Ace's bright red shirt standing out in the dark.

Ace doesn't reply, just wordlessly climbs into his bed and clutches him in a tight, warm embrace. Suddenly, Luffy feels a whole lot more tired. The security of a mere hug from Ace is enough to curb any lingering anxiety that is preventing him from sleeping.

So Luffy relaxes his back into Ace's chest and smiles softly when his brother's hand starts smoothing down his hair.

And finally, Luffy is able to sleep.

This goes on for all the nights that follow.

Strangely, Sabo has finally started reading to him before bed again. Even taking time out of his work, he always makes time for a story.

The _thing_ still follows Luffy around, making him incredibly scared for his brother's safety. Although not attacking them -like that one night- it stalks them unceasingly, radiating ill intent. Luffy doesn't know why it is so angry, but he comes to realize the emotion isn't really an emotion at all.

It's pure, unadulterated evil.

Its presence is more tolerable as time wears on, but Luffy still can't stand being in the same room as it for too long. This in turn makes for difficult and angst ridden days alone in the house.

However, Luffy manages at night. Always at the cusp of falling asleep, the weight dips at the side of his bed, and he feels a hand moving through his hair. So he doesn't ask for more, or to move.

Ace cuddles with him at night, but is gone the majority of the day. Sometimes Luffy tries to talk to him before sleeping, just to hear the voice he's been aching to hear. But he always falls asleep before hearing a response.

It's a torturous way of living, and Luffy knows that. But if his brothers sacrifice so much for him, he can do the same.

All he has to do is smile.

And no one suspects a thing.

* * *

"I'm not hungry."

Sabo almost drops his fork in surprise.

Not quite, but almost.

The blonde has noticed how off his little brother has been this past week. From zoning out, losing his appetite, to just plain striding out of the room Luffy has given Sabo reason to be concerned.

"Are you sure Lu? You've hardly eaten anything." Ace states, cheeks full of food and a frown on his lips.

"Yeah." Luffy mumbles, hopping down from his seat at the kitchen table. He stares at the ground as he walks hurriedly to the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Sabo asks.

"To my room."

"You want to sleep? Already? It's only 7!"

Luffy bites his cheek and wiggles his bare toes on the cold boards. "Yeah, I'm tired. Goodnight."

"Wait! Just let me finish up and I'll read you a story." Sabo grabs his empty plate and moves to stand up.

"No! I-I mean, no thank you. I just want to go to bed." He stumbles over his words, then scrambles off to his room.

Sabo doesn't sit down until he hears the door slam shut. With an elongated sigh he lets the plate drop back on the table with a small clatter. He runs a hand through his knotted hair and stares at the single light shining above them.

"We're failing." Sabo comments off-handedly. He hears Ace chew a few more times then swallow loudly.

"...I know damn it."

"How are we supposed to make this better? We're lucky to be where we are now, but it's not enough."

"School. When Luffy finally gets to school, he won't be left alone. It'll be so much better after that."

Sabo's face screws up in pity. Their little brother _should_ be in school. Not alone all the time doing and thinking who knows what. What kind of school has a _waiting list_? That's what you fucking get for having one damn school in the entire town.

"...Ace?" Sabo prompts, still staring at the light.

"Yeah?"

"...are we pulling a Garp?"

At first Sabo doesn't think Ace will respond, he's quiet for so long. But as if snapping out of a trance, he smacks the table with both hands, rattling the tableware.

"No! We'd never do that to Luffy! He's our everything!" He snaps.

"I know that! I mean that we're neglecting him. We're slowly pulling away, intentionally or not." Sabo shoots back.

"We are not Garp." Ace grits. "Luffy's struggling, but he's just going to have to wait it out for a little longer. We've just got to help him out when we can."

"I think it's something else. Luffy's acting too strange. Wouldn't he want to spend time _with_ us instead of staying away? I just don't understand." Sabo lowers his gaze to his fingers, digging his nails into the tabletop.

"What the fuck else could it be?! Sabo, he's lonely. That's it. Don't make a mountain of of a mole hill." Ace shoves his chair in and stalks away. "Thank you for the meal."

Sabo blinks exasperatedly and scowls off to the side. He can tell Ace wants to avoid anymore family tragedy and hurt. But he's being deliberately blind. The blonde knows there is something else bothering Luffy, and he's going to figure it out.

He'll be damned if he doesn't get his little brother back.

With new determination, Sabo bolts up and out of his chair. He strides down the dark hallway, the socks on his feet quietly thunking along the floor.

 _'You don't want a story Lu? Well too bad. You're getting one whether you like it or not.'_

Sabo stops in front of Luffy's door. The first thing he notices is that it's oddly warm. His hands immediately turn slick with sweat and he has trouble grasping the doorknob. An uncomfortable feeling that he can't place settles in his stomach.

 _'Okay, let's go Sabo.'_ Wait. Why does he have to pump himself up to get into his _little brother's room?_

But he can't do it. He can't bring himself to twist the knob and see what's inside. The task seems too big for him, too out of his reach. His palms automatically begin to sweat more.

 _'But I_ know _what's inside.'_ He chastises himself. Though deep down, he knows better. His entire being knows better. His body is practically screaming at him to just leave.

For just an instant, Sabo succumbs to his instincts and takes a step back. Immediately, his head clears up and everything is colder, barren.

 _'What the- what just happened?'_ Furrowing his eyebrows, Sabo steps in front of the door again. The horrible dread returns full force and the blonde retreats quickly.

Something weird is happening, Sabo realizes with growing suspicion. It's like something wants him away from Luffy. But that is a ridiculous assumption, Sabo knows he's just being stupid.

The blonde fixes the door with a long stare. Either or, he's going to get into Luffy's room.

He takes a deep breath then grabs the door knob again. This time, he begins shaking. The amount of fear pouring into his system almost has him reeling, but he holds on.

 _'I can do this. I can do this. This is just me being stupid. I am an idiot for being so afraid. There is nothing to be afraid of. I can do this.'_ But he can't. His fingers feel like jelly and he can't bring any strength to them no matter how he tries.

Veins bulge in his forehead from pure frustration. If Ace caught him like this he would be so embarrassed. Is he really that guilty? Or is he just scared of being rejected again?

A muffled whimper floats through the door, making Sabo's heart beat ten times faster.

 _'Luffy!'_ Fuck fear!

Sabo crashes through all the barriers holding him back. Thinking of nothing but his little brother, Sabo twists the knob harshly and shoves the door inward.

The door swings open with a loud series of groans and creaks. A yellow lamp from the hallway illuminates a strip of light on Luffy's bedroom floor.

It's so dark, he can hardly see an outline of the bed. He makes for Luffy, feeling anxious again. But in the corner of the room, he sees something that makes him stop in place.

His mind doesn't register what he's looking at. That is until the 'something' flashes him a pair of almond shaped yellow eyes.

"What-" He flinches back when it suddenly charges for him. Eyes wide and mouth agape, Sabo stumbles backwards in a hurry.

 _'WHAT IS THAT?! OH GOD WHAT IS THAT?!'_ His mind thinks frantically. Unsteady legs trip over themselves and Sabo falls on the ground. The thing doesn't stop, and Sabo scrambles backwards desperately towards the door.

He's too slow, and the thing lunges forward. The blonde raises his arms to his head, releasing a pitiful choking noise. It's the end for him.

There's a sting on his hand, but the blow never comes. Breathing erratically and muscles tensed, Sabo slowly lowers his shield.

There's nothing there. It's just him, on the ground, quaking with his back against the wall. His eyes dart around, not trusting anything around him. But nothing appears.

A sleepy moan brings Sabo out of his revere. He scrambles back on two legs and makes a mad dash back into Luffy's room.

With trembling arms he yanks the comforter off of his little brother and brings Luffy into his arms. The boy stirs and blinks sleepily up at the blonde.

"Sa...bo?" He mumbles sleepily, rubbing his eye.

"Sorry for waking you up Lu." He whispers shakily. Sabo quickly examines his little brother for any sort of injuries, and sighs in relief when he sees none.

"Why are you?-"

"You're sleeping with Ace and I, Lu." Sabo states, scooping the boy up into his arms.

"'th you?" Luffy mumbles, snuggling his head into the crook of Sabo's neck.

"That's right Lu. Now just go to sleep." He hushes, walking out of his little brothers room and closing the door behind him. Luffy nods against his neck, and soon enough soft snores can be heard coming from the boy.

With Luffy secure, Sabo walks as fast as possible to the shared room without jostling the raven. Silently, Sabo slips into their room and closes the door softly behind him. The blonde listens for Ace's awakening, but he's out like a light.

 _'Good.'_ He thinks to himself. He doesn't want to deal with any sort of interrogation at this time of night.

With moonlight shining through the window, Sabo gently scoots into the bed and pulls the blanket over the two of them. He delicately places Luffy beside him, in the middle. The youngest immediately latches onto Sabo's t-shirt with his tiny hands and a small content sigh escapes his lips.

Sabo breathes a small sigh of his own, and pulls Luffy into a protective hug.

The blonde glances down at his hand, and watches the small horizontal cut bleed slowly and lazily.

Later on, he would clearly see the smear of red across the cut.

But right there, in the moonlight...

he swears that it's black.

 **I'll try to post Sunday once a week, but it's so hard to find free time to write guys, you don't even know. Usually I like to make my chapters a lot longer than this but it would take too much time for that.**

 **Replies to reviews:**

 _ **SEllen23:**_ **Thank you so much! I'm actually still debating how to end this so who knowsssss**

 _ **Penguin-chin:**_ **Chopper! How ya doin'? (guess I got to refer to you as penguin now lol) As usual, you made me smile super big at your review! It's sad, but my enthusiasm for One Piece fades in and out too, but it will always be my fav so I will continue to write stories about it! I hope you liked this chapter and thank you so so much for your continued support!**

 _ **q. feuille7:**_ **Daw thank you! This story is so much fun to write (angst angst angst) and I hope you enjoy the chapters to come! (btw, I love all ur stories. I'm like a (secret?) fan tee hee.)**

 _ **Tide4Time:**_ **YES slenderman definitely crossed my mind while writing this. Ha ha glad you like the story!**

 _ **StarliteOracle:**_ **Thank you so much!**

 _ **Everlight18:**_ **HA HA Doflamingo that is actually something I can see. As for their survival, let's just see…I might be feeling nice this time…**

 _Next time: "knock knock." "who's there?" "…"_


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

 ***falls down on pile of math, english, history, french and chemistry homework. Weakly raises a crooked thumb up and laughs somewhat hysterically. ***

 **Enjoy the chapter yo's.**

 **DISCLAIMER I DON'T OWN ONE PIECE**

Sabo's hands are tied.

He still finds himself questioning if what he experienced was real, or just a figment of his over-stressed mind. Logic tells him that it was impossible, that it was only a trick of the dark. After all, Luffy didn't see it, or hear it.

But it felt so _real_. He can't ignore it, it's always wriggling at the back of his mind, pushing him to remember and experience the overwhelming terror all over again.

He doesn't know if his paranoia has just grown, but he thinks he's been seeing things around the house at night. Too quick to follow, and too hard to find, whatever it is constantly escapes his ever-seeking eyes.

Since that night a few days ago, he's brought Luffy to come sleep in their room. He doesn't know what that will do in terms of protection, but Sabo knows it's better than leaving Luffy alone at night.

Of course Luffy was all in for the idea, practically jumping into the bed ever since, all smiles. Ace was a different manner.

He didn't mind sleeping in the same bed as the youngest, but he also didn't think they should get Luffy in the habit of sharing their bed. The hardest part of the whole ordeal was dealing an explanation.

Ace is a born sceptic. Unless he can see something for himself, he won't believe anything. If Sabo justified that Luffy should sleep with them over a 'feeling' he had and a damn ghost almost slaying him in half, he could guess where that would lead to. So he told a small, but reasonable lie; Luffy hadn't been sleeping well lately due to his loneliness, so he would sleep with them until school starts.

Ace hadn't minded the proposal, and had believed the blonde, unaware of the dangerous secret that was harboured.

But now Sabo has a problem.

Luffy's been so restless at night, it's almost impossible to get him to settle down. If it's not being uncomfortable while awake, it's a nightmare while he's asleep.

Luckily he and Ace have experience with afflictive sleeping conditions, so it doesn't affect them much at all. It's the youngest that worries Sabo. Ace already suggested Luffy go back to his own bed if it made him feel better, but Sabo fervently denied the request.

And he feels guilty about it.

The boy hasn't said one thing about returning to his room, nor voiced his discomfort, even when Sabo catches him grimacing from time to time when he walks. The temptation to bring Luffy back is strong, and sometimes Sabo thinks he'll be alright with it.

Now is the perfect example. Luffy is in his pajamas, watching The Muppets movie on television and snacking on a huge bowl of chips. But every now and then he shifts forward, trying to find a better position for his hurting back.

Sabo glances at the clock and notes that it's time for Luffy to go to bed. But he's left conflicted of what to do. Is it really okay to let Luffy suffer just because of something he _might_ have seen?

Luffy moves then, and this time Sabo notices the way his eye brows pinch together in discomfort.

Sabo knows he's being ridiculous now. He's officially crazy and stupid and totally paranoid for no reason _at all._

 _'PTSD maybe?'_ He never considered himself having any sort of illness after the shock of their guardian leaving. _'I guess it was just naive thinking that I would get through this unscathed.'_

Head heavy and mind exhausted, Sabo walks over to Luffy and kneels down in front of him. The raven pouts and tries to shove Sabo's gigantic head aside.

"Sabo! You're in the way!" He complains. Sabo remains where he is with an amused smirk. Luffy's hands try fruitlessly to budge the head, but he only succeeds in messing up his brother's hair.

Giving up, Luffy pouts and crosses his arms. He makes a sound of contempt through his closed lips and plops backward, only to flinch at the movement.

Sabo frowns and takes the remote, turning the volume down on the television. When the sound is barely a whisper to their ears, Sabo turns back to Luffy and grips both of his tiny arms.

"Luffy." Sabo says seriously, gaze locked on the youngest. Luffy blinks owlishly, and tilts his head in confusion.

"Yeah Sabo?" Sabo swallows and relaxes his grip a little.

"Are you alright with going back to sleep in your own room?" He asks tentatively. Luffy stares blankly at Sabo for a moment, the characters on the screen dancing across his dark eyes.

"My own room?" He questions finally. Sabo can detect a hint of disappointment in his words.

"Lu, I know you're having a hard time sleeping in our bed. You sleep so much better in your room, so I think it's time you go back." He pats Luffy's head when the boy nods, looking down and away from Sabo. "Are you sure it's okay?"

Luffy nods again, this time looking at Sabo with a small reassuring smile. The blonde smiles back and ruffles Luffy's hair.

"Come on then, it's time for bed." He stands up and stretches his arms over his head.

"But the movie isn't done yet!" Luffy protests, standing up nonetheless. The wool blanket that was once resting on his lap falls, pooling on the ground.

"How much time is left?" Sabo asks, taking Luffy's tiny hand in his own.

"..."

"Thought so."

There's muffled thud and a fist punching Sabo's leg.

"Meanie!" Luffy shouts, letting go of Sabo's hand and running down to his room. The blonde chuckles loudly and follows quickly behind.

Not even a few paces away, a shadow smooths across the walls. Sabo passes by, and the irregular shadow goes unnoticed in the lamp light.

"Okay Lu, hop into bed..." Sabo says. He turns the corner only to see that the raven is already _in_ bed. In Luffy's hands is _The Pirate King_ book, and he hides behind it with a mischievous grin. "Ha ha ha. Nice try, I already read this to you before the movie."

"But Saboooo!" Luffy whines. "Just one more time! Please!"

"Three times is enough Lu. If I read it to you anymore you'll be reciting the words in your sleep." Sabo plucks the book out of Luffy's hands and places it on the dresser.

"What's a reciting?" Luffy asks, easing under the covers. Sabo sighs and tucks his little brother in tight.

"Never mind. Just focus on having a good sleep this time." Secretly, Sabo is happy to hear Luffy asking for more stories. The boy seems to be a bit more at ease, and less distant compared to before. Sabo can even tell from the way he's sagging against the mattress how relaxed he is.

"Doesn't your back hurt right now Lu? Maybe you should sleep on your stomach instead." But Luffy shakes his head and releases a massive yawn.

"My back doesn't hurt anymore! I don't know why, but it feels fine!" Sabo frowns in confusion. The boy could barely walk two seconds ago. "Um, Sabo?"

The blonde focuses back on Luffy, who is wringing the blanket nervously.

"Is-um..." Luffy trails off, fluttering his eyes downwards. "Did you not want me to sleep with you because I'm annoying?"

"Idiot." Sabo clonks Luffy's head lightly. "That was revenge for before. As for being annoying, we would never think of you as a nuisance. The simple reason is that you were uncomfortable in our bed. Do you agree?" Luffy nods, and Sabo places a hand over Luffy's eyes. "So just go to sleep Lu, I'll see you in the morning."

Sabo stands up, and moves to turn the light off.

"Sabo?"

The blonde looks back to Luffy with a raised eyebrow.

"What's a nuisance?"

"Goodnight Luffy."

 _ **Line here**_

 **BANG!**

Sabo jolts awake on the couch. His elbow knocks the metal bowl beside him and the chips inside fall into the cushions. The blonde blinks groggily, eyes irritated from the glaring light of the television. A song rings from whatever program is on and Sabo hastily turns it down before it wakes up the entire house.

 _'Oh right, I fell asleep here.'_ The clock on the wall reads 12:33am, and Sabo groans tiredly. He didn't mean to fall asleep, he just wanted to finish watching The Muppets. Kermit is just so cool...

 **BANG!**

Another loud bang echoes through the house. Sabo springs up, fully alert. He stares at the front door, heart hammering in his chest.

 **BANG!**

It's not coming from the front door, Sabo realizes, but somewhere in the house.

 **BANG!**

Cold dread builds up in Sabo's chest.

 _'It's coming from Luffy's direction!'_ Stumbling out of the living room and into the dark hallway, Sabo makes for his brother's room. As he hurries, he can just scarcely make out Luffy standing in front of his bedroom door.

"Luffy!" He calls out.

 **BANG!**

Sabo is close enough now to hear a series of smaller slams accompanying the occasional louder one. Panic rises in his chest, but Luffy doesn't appear to be hurt, or startled for that matter.

"Lu-Luffy?" Worry quickly turns to confusion as Sabo stops, panting lightly.

Luffy is just standing there, door in hand, opening and shutting it at a constant pace. His gaze is blank, and it is fixated on the movements of the squeaking door.

 **BANG!**

One of the slams is loud this time, but Luffy doesn't even flinch at the sound. He just keeps going on with his task as if he was a robot made to do it.

"Luffy? What are you doing so late at night?! You're going to wake Ace up! Not to mention you should be in bed!" Sabo scolds, hands on his hips. The initial panic has not yet subsided, and he feels a little antsy.

The raven stares dully forward, and slams the door no less abruptly than the last time.

 **BANG!**

"Luffy? Are you listening to me?" Sabo demands. He reaches forward and grasps Luffy's arm. Immediately, a jolt of heat and terror scorches him and he recoils.

 _'Just like...last time.'_ Struggling to keep ahold of himself, Sabo blinks his wide eyes.

"Lu-" Sabo swallows. His throat feels thick and constricted, like he's cried for a long time. "Luffy? I-I'm not angry Lu. I'm just asking if you can hear me. Okay?"

The blonde says it with much more care than before, but he doesn't dare touch the boy. Luffy moves to slam the door again, but suddenly stops midway. Slowly, frame by frame, Luffy turns his head to actually _look_ at Sabo.

The blonde sags a little in relief, but the sight makes him quickly hold his hands to his mouth.

Luffy's eyes are black.

Luffy's eyes are _black._

Before Sabo's heart has time to stop in his chest, Luffy skitters into his room and slams the door behind him. The abrupt bang sounds oddly final, and Sabo just knows something bad will happen if he follows.

Finger nails dig into his sides and his legs feel like mere sticks- barely keeping him upright, but one movement and he'll topple over.

 _'I've got to...I've got to...'_ His mind struggles to finish the thought. _'Ace! I've got to get Ace!'_

With a renewed sense of panic, Sabo spins hastily and books it for their shared room. His socks skid a bit as he turns into the bedroom and practically pounces at Ace.

"Ace! Ace! Wake up! It's Luffy!" The blonde yells, shaking his brother with great urgency. Ace groans a little, his sleep-logged mind confused at the sudden burst of action.

"Whas wrong?" He slurs, pushing himself into a sitting position. Sabo grasps the closest freckled arm and pulls at it insistently.

"I-it's Luffy! He...he-"

"Luffy? What's wrong? What happened?!" Ace demands, suddenly awake and aware.

"His eyes! Th-th-they were black! And he just kept opening and closing the door! But when I touched him it was like I got burned! That's when I saw them! _His_ _eyes._ They weren't human Ace! I think-"

"Hold on Sabo. Is this some sort of dream you had or something?" Ace asks, looking annoyed.

"No!" The blonde growls in frustration. "It's one hundred percent real. So get _up_!" He yanks harder on Ace's arm, but the raven snatches it back with a scowl.

"This isn't something to joke about 'Bo! What if it was actually an emergency again? You have no idea how much you scared me when you said Lu was in trouble!"

"He _is._ That wasn't a dream Ace! Why won't you believe me?!"

Ace snorts and crawls back under the covers, turning his back to Sabo. "'Cause it's fucking nonsense! Go check up on him now, and I guarantee he'll be snoring away as always. Go."

" _Ace!_ " Sabo tries to get his attention back, but he's done talking. An invisible wall is put up between them, and Ace blocks out anything Sabo does or says.

The blonde sighs heavily in the quiet, closing his eyes. He remains sitting on the bed, uneasiness churning in his stomach.

 _'I wasn't dreaming.'_ He seethes. _'This time I know what I saw.'_

But the creature wasn't there this time. That...thing might have just been a hallucination. But still...

 _'Too many but's.'_ Despite Ace's denial, he does have a point in regards to going to see Luffy. Either to ease his mind or to confirm his little brother's safety, he doesn't know.

So Sabo silently makes his way back to Luffy's door, and can't help but feel a bit relieved to see no little brothers' near it.

He tentatively reaches forward and grasps the doorknob. No negative feelings this time. Slowly, Sabo turns the knob and opens the door a crack.

He sees Luffy's form under the lump of blankets, and thankfully it's moving up and down with each soft breath.

 _'Thank goodness.'_ Though he's relieved on many levels, he's not too happy that Ace is right. Especially if it proves Sabo is bat-shit crazy. _'I should check his eyes.'_

Nose just a centimetre away, the door shuts harshly in his face.

 _ **Line here**_

The days till by, and Sabo hates leaving Luffy alone now.

The boy insists he's fine, but that house is not normal. Those encounters have left Sabo with no doubt that something weird is happening.

So when Luffy is taking a nap, and Ace is gone working, Sabo fires up his laptop for some research.

 _'First I'll start with the previous owner, Nami.'_

He tries calling the ginger, but a robot voice comes on telling him the number no longer exists. Finding it a little sketchy, he punches in their address and Nami's name online.

Nothing appears for her their house, but her last name -Mikan- pulls up an article posted by the World Economic Newspaper. Pushing his glasses further up on his nose, Sabo scrolls through the article with disbelieving eyes.

About 10 years ago, her whole family committed suicide by jumping off of Goa Cliff. She had a sister, Nojiko -a few years older at the time of death, a rather young mother named Bellemere, and a step father named Arlong.

 _'Jeez, what a tough break...and she was Luffy's age when it happened too.'_ That would make her about seventeen now.

Interest nabbed, Sabo reads on.

 _'People who knew Bellemere spoke of how she would never do something like this._

 _"Her home life wasn't easy by all means." says Genzo, Mrs. Mikan's co-worker. "But she still had the little ones to think of. To think she would drag her oldest into this is something unthinkable to me."_

 _Most blame the tragedy on the new family member, Arlong. Reports of abuse to all members of the family have started to pile in. Apparently,_ _Bellemere had kicked Arlong out of the house when she had enough. He hadn't shown up in town for months until the day of the incident. The sudden appearance has authorities questioning if he had a major role in their deaths, and why he left Nami Mikan alone.'_

The article was posted 10 years ago, so Sabo tries to find something more updated. Turns out, the whole scheme was blamed on Arlong and it was case closed in a matter of months. Nami was raised by a family friend and moved out when she was 14.

' _Damn.'_ Sabo sags back in the chair and runs a hand through his hair. ' _What a nightmare.'_

But he's no closer to finding out what's up with this house. The event was a tragic one, but the deaths didn't occur here, nor did anyone live here for the longest time.

 _'I don't get it, what am I missing?!'_

 ** _Line here_**

"Meanie Ace! Just leave and never come back!"

"Go to your room. _Now!_ "

Luffy flinches. Tears build up in his eyes and he storms off, growling in frustration the entire time. Then there is a slam, and the only ones left are Ace and Sabo.

Ace huffs and sinks down in his seat. His finger tips push a silver fork side to side in a useless gesture.

"Ace." Ace just rolls his eyes, already knowing what's coming at him.

"Yeah yeah I know. Just give him time to cool down." Ace grumbles. Sabo glares daggers at his brother's head.

"You better hope he cools down. This argument was nonsensical."

"Whatever. You're probably right, but he deserves to go to his room for mouthing off to me."

Sabo crosses his arms, but doesn't say anything else.

 ** _Line here_**

Until late hours of the night, the two brothers stay up watching television. They keep waiting for Luffy to come back out, but he stubbornly remains locked in his room.

"I've had enough!" Sabo shouts, shooting up. Ace jumps a little, startled at the sudden burst of movement. "I'm going to get him. This is ridiculous."

Before Ace can say anything, Sabo strides down the hall to Luffy's room. Totally focused on seeing his little brother, he reaches for the door, about to knock.

However, before his knuckle even lands on the wood the door is yanked open.

"Luffy! You shou..." Sabo trails off, breath leaving him. Luffy's head is angled down to the ground, but his eyes are up, almost completely white, staring at Sabo. His mouth is fixed as a pointed frown, and he isn't blinking.

"Luffy?" Sabo asks softly, trying to push away the uneasiness creeping into his head. "Are you alright?"

Luffy doesn't respond, but starts swinging the door _again_ , just like that one night. His blank eyes are still fixed on Sabo, as if challenging him.

"No! LUFFY STOP!" Sabo tries to slam his foot in the way, but when the door touches it it feels as though his foot is set on fire.

Sabo reels back, gripping his foot. But by that time it's already cooled down.

"ACE!" Sabo yells, scrambling to the living room. He shoots one more look over his shoulder before turning out of the hallway.

"What is it?" Ace asks, entranced by whatever is showing on the television. Sabo turns the TV off, much to Ace's displeasure, and yanks his raven-haired brother off the couch. "Hey! What the hell Sabo?!"

"You may not fucking believe me now, but you damn will when you see this!" Against Ace's protests, Sabo drags his brother back into the hallway and down to Luffy's room.

"Sabo! Let me go! I knew you were still going on about that!" Ace yells, trying to pry his arm away. But Sabo holds tight, not giving Ace an inch.

"Shut up and look!" The blonde snaps, nodding forward. Ace growls, but follows his line of sight.

Luffy is still up, no longer toying with the squeaky door, but patting the wood paneled walls with strange delicacy with the tips of his fingers.

"What the fuck." Ace mumbles. The sight looks downright odd, and they are both left staring, dumbfounded with the boy.

"Luffy?" Sabo asks carefully. He's not at all surprised that's there's no response.

"Geez 'Bo." Ace runs a hand through his hair, watching with concerned eyes. "He's been doing this before?"

Sabo nods. "Not this directly, but yeah. I don't know what it is, or how to fix it."

Slowly, Ace creeps forward, extending a hand to Luffy. "Heyy buddy. Can you hear me?"

Luffy ignores him, but suddenly tears are dripping down his face. A sob wracks his body and the sound is heartbreaking.

"STOP! WHY WON'T YOU STOP?! WAGHHH! PLEASE!" He screams.

"Luffy!" Ace yells in alarm. He runs for Luffy, arms outstretched.

"Ace! Wait!"

Ignoring Sabo's protests, Ace scoops Luffy up bridal style. The boy flops in his arms, crying hysterically. Luffy's eyes dart around the dim hallway, like he's looking for something. Sabo walks up next to them and watches Luffy worriedly.

"I think it's a night terror." Ace mutters, eyebrows furrowing.

"Night terror? Like what you had as a kid?"

Ace nods. "I got them when I was sick though. So it's a little different." Luffy lets loose another sob and coughs, choking on his tears.

"I forget, how did we make them stop?"

"Gramps would. He'd talk to me and tell me where I was. Just try and calm me down all in all." Ace strokes Luffy's tear soaked cheek and looks at him tenderly. "Luffy? It's me, your big brother."

Luffy shakes his head and cries out again. "NO! NO YOU'RE NOT! HELP STOP PLEASEEEEEE!"

"Luffy, you're home. You're with Ace and I. You're safe." Sabo reassures him, speaking softly.

"You're safe."

"We're here for you Luffy."

"Don't be scared."

"We love you bud."

Eventually, Luffy calms down with a pained whine. His eyes finally close and he falls back asleep in Ace's arms. Both brothers stare down at the littlest for a bit, then sigh in relief.

"Let's take him to our bed tonight." Ace says. Sabo nods in agreement and they both head to their room, falling on their bed. Exhaustion pulls at their bodies and their limbs feel like led.

"Hey Sabo?" The blonde lulls his head over to look at Ace.

"Yeah?"

"...We've been gone for awhile now."

"Ace we're here everyday-"

"Not to Lu Sabo. Not to Lu."

Ace meets Sabo's eyes, and they share one last troubled look before sleeping.

I didn't specify which Sunday I would post on, did I? Heh heh...

Sorry dudes, school work got a lot harder and more plentiful. I'm gonna try and sum up this story in the next chapter, so I'm sorry if it doesn't come out on time this coming Sunday.

 **Replies to reviews:**

 **Tide4Time: No, actually I find it quite finny as well lolz. Thanks for the awesome review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **SEllen23: Thank you!**

 **Livetheluffy: Thank you so much! The one you should have been concerned about was Luffy yeesh**

 **Lufna: Merçi beaucoup! (J'ai trouvé drole quand tu a annoncé que tu etait français en premier en anglais lol) Et je m'excuse pour mon grammaire terrible! Il va jamais améliorer!**

 **Chappy(guest): Thanks !**

 **Zoewinter1: HA HA YES THANK YOU SM DON'T KNOW WHY THAT MADE ME RLZ HAPPPY HA HA**

 **Guest (one that said mysterious): Thank you so much for enjoying them!**

 _Next time; This Ace, or that Ace?_


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 **I feel disappointed with myself, I feel if someone is writing a story it should be kept up to keep the reader interested. But I underestimated how much time I have to write, so I hope you guys like this final chapter and hopefully not too many people have forgotten about it.**

 **Props to the people still reading this Halloween-based story on March Break.**

 **DISCLAIMER**

White light beaming onto his eyelids brings Sabo out of his slumber.

His mind is slow to function, and he keeps his eyes closed with a mere scrunch of his nose. The sheets surrounding him make his body feel warm, despite only covering a small portion of his torso. He can feel a shift behind him, and Sabo's mind idly registers that he has bedmates.

 _'Ace...'_ He blearily realizes. _'And Luffy...'_

Glaring light finally getting on his nerves, Sabo rolls over to face his brothers with a grunt. With eyes stubbornly shut out of unshakeable exhaustion, the blonde casts an arm out onto the vast expanse of bed.

He pats around experimentally for a tiny body, but feels only the squishy texture of a used pillow.

 _'Luffy?'_ Sabo's brow scrunches and he frowns. Ace's usual loud snoring is also oddly absent, making the blonde feel a bit unsettled.

He slowly blinks his eyes open. The white sheets pose a small irritation to his irises. Squinting through his sleepy haze, he sees the black hair and freckly neck of Ace. His breathing is slow, and he's facing the wall in a curled position.

 _'Luffy.'_ The absence of his little brother makes him more awake. Anxiousness fizzles in his nerves and he forces himself into a sitting position.

There, standing near the corner of the room, is Luffy. He's clutching a pillow to his chest with a deeply troubled expression fixed on the floor. His bare feet shift side to side anxiously.

"Lu? What's wrong?" The question makes Luffy jolt. His surprised eyes snap to Sabo's concerned ones for just a moment, before flicking away just as quickly. "Luffy?"

The raven scrunches his face, as if eating a sour raspberry. He blinks in distress, like talking will make him nauseous.

"Wh... why am I in your room?" He finally pushes out. Sabo can see beads of sweat run along his forehead beside his red puffy eyes.

"Don't you remember anything?" Sabo asks carefully. Granted, he isn't sure if Luffy even should.

But Luffy just shakes his head slowly and bites his lip. Sabo's frown deepens. Something's off. What is he doing all the way over there?

"Is there something wrong?" Luffy has cubed himself into the only small piece of shadow in the room. The dark line cutting him off from the sunlight slices sharply across his face.

Luffy swallows thickly and fiddles with the folds on the pillow. He sends a glance towards Ace so quickly that Sabo wonders if he imagined it. Eventually, he mumbles something, but it's too quiet for Sabo to hear.

"What?" He asks, leaning the barest bit closer. Luffy's jaw works up and down for a moment, then he presses his chin into his chest.

"Where is he?"

Sabo blinks, confused.

"Who's 'he' Lu?"

"Ace."

Sabo blinks again, and that's when Ace chooses to wake up. The raven yawns loudly and sits up, looking as rumpled as Sabo was a few minutes ago.

"What's going on?" He asks Sabo, noticing his troubled expression. Ace doesn't wait for a response before turning to Luffy. He scans Luffy for a moment before speaking.

"Why are you in the dark Luffy?"

Luffy stiffens with a tiny yip, then scrambles out of the bedroom. The pillow lay abandoned in the doorway as his footsteps skitter away down the hall.

Ace blinks slowly, then turns his head to Sabo. "Did I do something wrong?"

Sabo shakes his head then flops back on the bed with a sigh. With great tiredness he tells Ace of the confusing events that just transpired.

"I don't understand! Why Luffy?" Ace demands to no one at all.

"I don't know why all of this is happening. It-it's doing something to him." Sabo chokes, feeling utterly confused and distressed. Of course that's partly a lie, he's suspected something was wrong with the house for awhile now. But is that really the reason for Luffy's behavior? He has never experienced anything like this before. Is it something mental? Maybe he's been living in isolation for too long. Just the thought of them having raised Luffy wrong sends a pang to his chest. "We've got to see someone about this."

Ace frowns at his lap. His fingers pick absently at the wrinkled sheets surrounding him.

"But what if they take him away? I know we haven't been doing the best, but...I wouldn't be able to handle a day without him. He's my life 'Bo, and I know he's yours too."

"But what other choice do we have Ace?! He's probably so confused and afraid _all the time._ Isn't he exhausted?" Not ever letting your guard down, even in front of your family, must be so hard for him to do. What do you do if you're never feeling safe?

"Ask." Ace directs a serious gaze to his brother, chuckling bitterly. "Have we even bothered?"

Sabo opens his mouth, words forming on his tongue, but suddenly chokes them down. No, they haven't.

"I'm going to change that now. He's going to tell me what's putting him on edge, whether he likes it or not." With a plan in mind, Sabo swings out of bed and strides out the door. The pillow there is kicked aside where it hits the wall with a dull thud.

 ** _Line here_**

He feels like he's walked this hallway too many times. But it's not the walk that bugs him, it's the uncomfortable feeling that follows him every time. Always at the end there is something waiting for him, ready to lash out and leave another mental scar on his being.

So this time it feels odd. Not in a good way, or a bad way. Rather, it's the neutral feeling that bends his nerves. The walls feel like walls, the floor feels like a floor, and Luffy's door feels like _Luffy's door._

When he twists the doorknob, there's no pulse of heat shocking his hand. His hands are merely clammy from the warm air around him, house easily taking in and trapping the afternoon heat. With a light push, Sabo opens the door.

Light hums fill the air along with light pencil scratching across paper. Luffy is laying down on the ground, surrounded by colored pencils of all kinds. He's already drawn several pictures-they're scattered under his arms in an explosive mess.

Sabo can't see an ounce of tension in Luffy's body. His body radiates calm as he hums and swings his legs in the air dazedly.

"Hey Lu," he greets casually, cautiously. He walks up to Luffy and kneels down next to him. "Whatcha' up to?"

"Drawing." He mumbles, absorbed in his latest creation. Sabo hums and casually picks up one of the many drawings. It's a pirate, and he realizes with mild amusement, that most of them are pirate-based.

"You sure do love pirates, don't you Luffy?" The boy nods enthusiastically.

"Of course! They're so cool! They have the most freedom in the world, a-and get to go on adventures all the time, and find treasure, and go on more adventures, and eat lots of meat-"

"Again with the meat?" Sabo asks exasperatedly, a fond smile on his lips.

"Meat is the best food in the entire world! Even on the moon!"

Sabo laughs. "I don't think there is any food on the moon bro."

"Yes there is! There's moon ice cream! It was on that episode of Phineas and Ferb!" Luffy justifies, looking proud. Sabo laughs again and ruffles Luffy's hair aggressively.

"You got me there Lu."

Luffy giggles in amusement and returns to his drawing. Sabo's smile slowly falls into a sad frown. He feels a bit guilty for disturbing the good atmosphere, but he needs answers they all so desperately need.

"Hey Lu," he says, voice soft. He rests his chin on his palm, arm balanced upright on his thigh. "what were you asking about this morning? I don't think I heard you right..." He trails off, looking absently to the floor.

Luffy's shoulders visibly stiffen, and he turns his head away from Sabo. The blonde is a bit startled at the shut down.

"Luffy? What did you ask?" He persists, leaning closer.

The pencil in Luffy's hand shakes for a moment, creating nonsensical marks over his tree drawing. He turns his head the barest bit around, but his gaze is firmly locked to the floor.

"When is Ace going to be back?" So quiet. The question sinks into the pregnant silence of the room.

"...past your bedtime." He rubs his pinky finger absently against his dry bottom lip. Ace has never left, yet Sabo doesn't know why he says this. Maybe it's because of how Luffy is shielding himself from Sabo, or maybe there's something instinctual in the blonde that knows something he doesn't.

"Oh," Luffy says, looking mildly dejected. But he turns forward again, and resumes drawing. Sabo watches on, face thoughtful.

"Does that make you sad?" Luffy nods a little. "Why?"

The raven's lips pull into a straight line. "Because I never see Ace at daytime! He only comes to see me at night, when I can't play with him!"

Sabo stiffens. When has Ace ever gone out of their room at night? Yesterday was the first, and he wasn't even in his room. Suddenly, he can feel the hairs prickling at the back of his neck.

"What does, uh...what does he do when he comes into your room?" He asks, flinching when his voice cracks.

"Mmm," Luffy hums in thought. "He always comes in when I'm really really tired and then he lays down next to me until I fall asleep."

Cold. Dread. Sabo's eyelids flutter the barest bit as the room goes silent and extremely still.

 _That's not Ace._

"Luffy," the desperate, terrified edge in his voice is not missed by the boy in front of him. "After I woke up, who were you talking to?"

Luffy's eyes go round with something akin to terror. He stares at the drawing below him with fists clenched harshly.

"Who was it?! Luffy answer me right now!" Sabo demands, pulling Luffy up to face him. His big hands clench almost painfully around the raven's shoulders. Luffy just bites his lip, face scrunching up as tears press the backs of his eyes.

Sabo's composure has run thin, and the need for answers comes as desperately as he needs air. "It was Ace there! How could you not recognize him?!"

"YOU'RE WRONG! IT'S THE MONSTER!" Luffy screams back. Sabo frowns confusedly.

"Who the hell is that?" Sabo demands, softer this time.

"Don't you already know?! He's the one who lives here and follows me around the house when I'm alone! He never says anything, just chases me whenever the lights are on!"

What? Follows him...all the time? And Luffy thinks that they did this intentionally? He feels a pinprick in his heart.

Is this an intruder that's been coming in the house and tormenting their poor little brother? Sabo sees a vision of some gangster coming in through Luffy's door at night and staring at him.

"What does he look like?!" Sabo knows that he won't hesitate to commit murder, and it won't take much to convince Ace either.

Luffy shrugs out of his grip and much to Sabo's confusion, shifts through his pile of papers. After a few seconds Luffy finally pulls out a drawing and shoves it in the blonde's face.

It's a tall black... _thing._ In all the crayon scribble, Sabo can still make out a human silhouette with no defining facial or body features.

Except for a pair of yellow almond-shaped eyes.

Sabo feels his heart thud and curdle in his chest. Without another word, he holds the paper in a tear inducing grip, and snatches Luffy up in his arms.

"Sabo?" Luffy whimpers softly, eyes watering with fright. The blonde just grips him tighter and strides to the living room.

They are getting out of there _now._ The earthquake has happened, but it's only a matter of time before the tsunami comes and knocks them right off their feet. But first he's got to set something straight.

Ace is already waiting in the living room, back against the brick fireplace. The curtains are shut, creating bold shadows across his face.

Seeing Luffy, his face softens and he steps forward, words forming on the tip of his tongue. But Luffy flinches back in Sabo's hold, arms wrapping around his neck in a death grip.

"Ace," Sabo says, patting Luffy's back soothingly. "We've got to get out of here. There's been someone-"

"It's him." Luffy murmurs in his ear, another shudder rocking his tiny body. Sabo stops talking, mouth suddenly feeling dry.

His eyebrows furrow at his freckled brother. Untamed locks, deep grey eyes, concerned gaze...he _looks_ like Ace.

His gaze flicks uncertainly to the disturbing picture in his hand, then back to Ace again. Contemplation weighs heavily on his face as he looks to and fro.

"Oi!" Ace snaps harshly, looking between his brothers. "What?! What are you looking at me like that for?!"

Ignoring the pang of guilt in his chest, Sabo's stare lingers on Ace. The raven meets it head on, eyes pleading and scared.

Swallowing in his Sahara dry throat, he nudges Luffy with his shoulder and holds the picture up so it is aligned with Ace.

"Luffy, is he the thing in the picture?" He asks softly. Luffy shifts his head on his shoulder a tiny bit, eyes narrowed in fright. He tentatively raises his eyes to Ace, mouth stretching into a thin line. Luffy nods slightly then buries his face back into Sabo's neck, trembling slightly.

"Sabo! What the hell is going on?! Why is Luffy so afraid of me?!" He demands desperately, looking immensely betrayed.

Sabo looks at them both, watches as Ace clenches a hand around his heart as if it physically pains him.

 _'How can that not be Ace? How does that even make sense? That's definitely him.'_ But Sabo feels skepticism poisoning the thought, and unconsciously shifts Luffy away from Ace.

"You better stop hiding right now. I fucking mean it." He spits. Ace's expression twists into a mix of confusion and anger.

"The hell? Sabo what the damn hell is wrong with you?!" Ace yells back. The blonde stiffens a little. He 'almost' apologizes, because that is such an honest Ace reaction.

"If you're not the Ace in front of me, then you're somewhere else in here! Don't bother hiding and get the fuck out here." Sabo shouts, head swiveling around the room. Ace's hands come up in bafflement and he gestures like he doesn't know what to do with them.

"What...You need help man. Let Luffy go, you're fucking scaring him and me too. You've finally lost it 'Bo. Something's fucked up with you." He chuckles weakly, on the brink of hysteria.

"I'm not-goddamn it we're leaving!" Sabo shouts. He readjusts his grip on Luffy and turns to leave.

"Not with Luffy you're not!" Ace snaps while moving to the blonde. Sabo steps out of his 'brother's' reach with teeth bared.

"Stay away from us!" He hisses.

"Give him back Sabo! You're not right in the head!"

"Don't talk like that to me you imposter! Who are you?!"

"Imposter? Is that what you think I am?"

"It's not what I think, it's what I know!"

"What kind of bullshit is that?!" Ace moves to be nose to nose with the glaring blonde. "How could you doubt me after all these years? After all the shit we've been through?!"

"I-" Sabo falters, resolve cracking. Suddenly, Luffy is wiggling in his arms.

"Ace!" The littlest cheers. He slips out of Sabo's arms and runs across the living room. Sabo and Ace turn to see the person who just entered the room. Luffy hugs their freckled leg and giggles when they ruffle his soft raven locks.

 _'Huh?'_ Sabo's body freezes in place, gaze wide and terrified. He looks to the Ace beside him, only to see his own expression mirrored back at him. Then he turns his head back, excruciatingly slow, and blinks at Ace in front of him.

The _new_ Ace.

The situation suddenly feels far out of his grasp. He may not know it yet, but the power he holds in the situation slips to nothing. Sabo's body is hollow, and his thoughts blur to a distant fuzz. The only thing he is currently capable of is seeing. Believing is a whole other realm.

"Hey Lu? What's happening here?" New Ace speaks softly, still playing with Luffy's hair. Unbothered by the doppelgängers, Luffy just hugs his legs tighter while breathing in his scent.

"I missed you Ace!" The words bring some coherent thought into Sabo's brain, and he whips his head between the two Ace's, breathing getting faster.

Other Ace stays rooted to the spot. He blinks, looks away, then looks back again. The shock is evident on his face.

Sabo's mouth starts to form words, but he can't get them out. The deep rooted fear in him comes from the fact that he doesn't know which one is real, and which one is _that black fucking monster that's been stalking his baby brother._

"W-who the fuck are you?!" Other Ace demands, snapping out of his stupor.

New Ace glares at him with the same intense heat, startling them both.

"That's the question _I_ should be asking! Who the fuck are _you_?!" He snaps, moving Luffy behind him. Other Ace splutters in indignation.

"Cut the crap faker! You aren't fooling us! Right Luffy? You recognize me, right?" He asks, bending down to Luffy's eye level.

Luffy hides further behind New Ace's legs with a quiet whimper. He gazes fearfully at Other Ace, legs quaking slightly.

New Ace cards a hand through Luffy's hair, glaring ferociously at his double. "Stop talking to Luffy and get lost!" Other Ace's face turns red with rage.

"You better step the fuck away or I'm going to murder you right here, right now."

"The only one dying here is you! I'll beat you to death for trying to mess with my family fucker!"

It's not looking good, the concoction of tension and anger brewing between the two will only end in an explosion. Listening to it all is little Luffy, gripping onto New Ace's shorts with white knuckles. He's looking very strained with his eyes closed almost painfully.

Ignoring his wobbly legs and nausea, Sabo crouches down.

"Luffy," he beckons softly. Sabo is brave. Sabo is safe. Sabo will protect you Luffy. "Come here."

Luffy shoots one last uneasy glance at Other Ace, then reluctantly moves towards Sabo. But after just one step, New Ace traps his thin wrist in a firm grip.

"Don't go over there Lu," he warns, voice a bit hoarse from shouting. "I don't trust that that's the real Sabo either."

Sabo guffaws in disbelief. A million arguments that say otherwise are building at the back of his throat.

But Luffy shakes his head with a small smile.

"That's Sabo. I can tell!" Then he scampers up to the blonde and jumps into his waiting arms. Sabo lifts him off the ground and holds him like his life depends on it.

Now that the neutral party is safe, he needs to find out who is who.

"Oi! Both of you!" They both snap their glares to the blonde and his moment of confidence wavers. "Uh...we obviously can't tell who is who, so I'll ask some questions that only the real Ace would know."

"Why should _you_ ask them? How do we know you're not just pretending to be legit?" Other Ace growls. Sabo lifts Luffy a little in his arms.

"I've got the little brother stamp of approval. I'm the real deal. Plus, I don't have a twin walking around the house." He reasons.

"Well then that means I've got it too. Don't forget that he ran to _me_." New Ace says, smirking. Other Ace scoffs. The yellow and orange lights of the fire flick across his face.

"Like I'd believe that! He's probably just confused, who knows what that _monster_ could be doing to his head."

"You bastard!"

"If you're the real Ace, where the hell have you been this whole time? You just came outta nowhere!" Other Ace accuses. Sabo turns to New Ace, so two gazes are fixated on him.

"Well Ace, where did you come from?"

He stares at Sabo with a silent open mouthed smile for awhile. Then he forces out a single dry laugh.

"From in the house of course."

"Ace, you know that's not-

"Where the fuck did you come from?!"

New Ace looks at them both. His gaze is no longer accusing, but disturbingly blank. He clacks his tongue casually and looks to the ground.

"Around here." He mumbles, shrugging harshly. It looks wrong the way he does it, like his arms are suddenly too heavy for his body.

Fresh unease floods Sabo's nerves. Carefully, he tip-toes in the direction of Other Ace, stare not leaving the monster at the other side of the room.

Suddenly Luffy shifts in Sabo's arms and cries out, not wanting to get close to Other Ace.

"Shh, it's okay Lu. That's actually Ace, you don't need to be scared anymore." Sabo says soothingly, gently rubbing his little brothers back. Luffy shakes his head harshly, releasing another whimper when he can't escape the blonde's clutches.

Sabo sends a troubled look to Luffy. Why is he so terrified? Something must have affected him. The blonde raises his head and levels a glare at the 'something' still wearing Ace's skin.

"What the hell did you do to Luffy?!" Sabo demands. Luffy is still trying to pry himself out of his grip.

New Ace, aka the monster, actually looks confused for a moment. Then he smiles a very fond smile.

"It's a real shame," 'it' says, and it actually sounds disappointed. "That you don't see what Luffy does."

Sabo is confused. "See? What is there to see? If anything, you've been messing things up so he sees things wrong!"

The monster's smile shifts into something more mocking. Its irises morph until they are a single obsidian circle in the midst of a white ocean.

"Maybe it's _you_ who doesn't see right."

The fire blows out. Darkness.

Sweat. More sweat than Sabo thought he could produce in his lifetime runs from his every pore. A familiar terror bashes him full force and he hates it. He hates it more than the world itself. But the fear far outweighs the anger. That instinctual feeling in his gut tells him to run like a gazelle from the tiger he knows is hiding in the tall grass.

He's still staring at New Ace across from him, whom is now staring blankly at the floor. Sabo finds no source of heat or terror coming off of him. Just an empty doll. But _real_ all the same.

The stinging heat is singeing his back, despite the lack of fire.

But Sabo knows. He knows he made a mistake.

Eyes wide and heart in his throat, he spins around.

What he thought was his brother now doesn't have a mouth. Or nose. He reaches the ceiling, and small black particles surround the air around it. Almond shaped yellow eyes stare at him unblinkingly.

 _'Oh_ fuck _.'_

He stumbles backwards, clutching a now wailing Luffy. He looks between his possessed brother and the monster in fright. Ace chuckles lowly, sanity long thrown out the window.

"Give Luffy to me Sabo." He says, holding his arms out.

The blonde shakes his head furiously. "Release Ace right now!"

"No." the monster says through Ace's lips. They both take slow steady steps towards Sabo's quaking figure.

The blonde immediately lunges for the front door, only to find it bolted shut. There are no other doors. He wiggles the knob desperately, but it won't give.

"Goddamn it." He spits, and lets the tears roll down his cheeks. They are almost upon him now, taking their time in knowing they have their prey pinned down.

Sniffing, Sabo pulls Luffy from his chest and sets him down on the floor. He crouches in front of him to look into those brown orbs for what would be the last time.

"Luffy, Ace and I love you so much. I'm sorry we weren't good enough for you. But always know we'll love you forever, got that bud?" He barely keeps in the crack in his voice. This is an important moment; he needs Luffy to feel safe with him no matter what.

"W-what's happening Sabo? Why is Ace being all weird?" Luffy asks, voice wet with tears. Both Ace and the monster have reached them. They loom above the brothers, stares deep.

"Shh, it's alright Lu. Do you understand me Luffy? No matter what happens, we'll always love you!" Sabo weeps, gripping Luffy's arms tightly.

His brother nods harshly, tears cascading down his soft cheeks.

"I love you too Sabo!"

Then Luffy's eyes turn black.

Sabo sucks in a breath, then laughs hysterically. He falls back on the ground in defeat. That's it. There's nothing left for him. Everything's gone, and everything that can possibly go _wrong_ in his life anymore is no longer a possibility. There's no saving him, or his family. They were all doomed from the start to have a wasted life.

No one will miss them. Just a passing memory. Maybe cross a friend's mind once in a while on a long bus ride, only to be forgotten until a few years later until it's but a lost figment in their memory.

Will Garp miss them? Fuck him. He deserves anymore pain coming his way. Maybe he won't even realize they're dead, or maybe he'll laugh at how they couldn't even last without him.

But now, with all three figures standing over him from where he lay on the floor, he can't bring himself to care.

Sabo pumps a single fist in the air with a mad grin.

"Do your worst!"

 ** _Line here_**

The sun shines brilliantly against the crisp blue sky. Only a few clouds drift around it, but none are big enough to cover it fully. Reflected below is a wide expanse of blue sea, with sparkling waves and sand as white as snow.

On the coast is a tall Cliffside. The soft grass just peaks over the ledge, wagging softly against the wind. Off to the side is a rickety wooden sign. It looks so old it's barely standing straight, only the thick splint in the bottom is keeping it upright. Painted in blood red paint is: " **GOA CLIFF: DANGER! NO BARRIER!** "

But three figures have brushed past the sign, not looking at its contents nor caring what it is says.

They walk steadily, not making a sound, until they are standing right at the edge of the cliff.

The first two are around the same young adult age. The one on the left has black hair and freckles, while the one in the center has a head of blonde locks. The one on the right is much older than the two, with a scar on his face and a white moustache. Stitched on the side of his janitor uniform is a name: Garp.

All three stare forward. Not blinking, not talking. They don't even react to the crash of waves against the sharp rocks below.

They remain there for hours. No one sees them, or questions them. They just stare until the moon is high in the sky.

Then they take a step forward.

 ** _Line here_**

 _Ten years later_

"Damn lamps are so damn heavy." Judge Vinsmoke grumbles, dropping its box loudly on his new kitchen table. He wipes the sweat that has accumulated on his brow.

This old house isn't his first choice; he'll tell you that. But he's been in troubles with his wife Sora over their divorce, and she won the mansion and most of the money. Damn woman.

Now he's stuck with three out of the five kids (Sanji and Reiju were always softies for their mother, the weak brats can stay with her) and these cruddy living quarters.

"Yonji!"

A green haired boy with headphones peaks in through the door with a disgruntled look.

"What dad?" He snaps.

"Where's that brat with the keys to this place?" Judge snaps back.

Suddenly there's a jingle behind his ear. He snaps his head around and there stands a seventeen-year-old boy with wild black hair. His face looks void of emotion as he jingles the keys in front of his face.

"Oh, there you are." Judge says, disgruntled. "These are the keys I take it...uh, what was your name brat?"

"Luffy." He replies after a heartbeat. Placing the keys in Judge's hand.

"Yeah, whatever. Is there anything else about the house you want to tell me?" He asks, uninterested. Luffy blinks, then turns around, walking away slowly.

"The lights go out all the time. But don't worry, it's easy to see in the dark."

 **THE END**

 **(I've noticed some of you are confused with the ending, so let me clarify: New Ace (the one that Luffy believes is Ace) is the real Ace, but under the influence of the monster the whole time. Other Ace (the one that was in the bed, and in the living room from the start) was actually the monster. Luffy could recognize him because the light from the fire was on, so he could only see the monster. As for the ending, they all end up possessed. Ace, Sabo and Garp are on the Cliffside and later commit suicide at the influence of the monster (you'll notice that three sacrifices ae needed, parallel to the Mikan family incident where three died, except for the youngest; Nami). The only remaining one is Luffy, who is used to lure more sacrifices (made up of four members; three sacrifices and one to lure more) by the monster. Hopefully this clears things up, I know the two Ace's can get confusing, and as for the end I was hoping you guys could put the pieces together.)**

 **Replies to reviews:**

 ** _Lufina:_ Et après çi longtemps, la dernière chapitre! Ha ha ha… Merçi pour lire tout cette histoire, je suis tellement content!**

 ** _SEllen23:_ Your right! Thanks for the support and awesome reviews!**

 ** _q. feuille:_ Things certainly turned out in a way heh heh. Thanks for the review!**

 ** _zoewinter1:_ C'mon~ it adds to the ambience! **

**_Penguin-chin:_ HE DID YOUR RIGHT WHATTTTTTTTTT! And yes, Nami's family has a parallel fate to Luffy's, nasty monster guy. The unread thing I totally get, cause im doin' it right now ugh. Thanks for your dedication and awesome reviews!**

 ** _jewel:_ Yes! News about the other fic is just below~ I hope this chapter is up to your five time standard!**

 **Well, even though the only time I really work on stories are major breaks, I'm still going to push on with my superhero story. It's going to be awhile until it comes out, not going to lie, but I think it's going to be the best out of all my other ones so far (even Searching for a Saviour). So stay tuned, and it WILL come out. I NEVER ABANDON MY FICS.**

 **Anyways, _HAPPY HALLOWEEN!_**

 _See you in another fic,_

 ** _-UnicornsThatGamble_**


End file.
